What a washing machine costs to run in Washington
Washington homes use 66 kWh a year on a washing machine. Priced on top of the rest of the bill, that costs $3.48 to $10.08 a year across 22 published Washington plans — a $6.60 gap. Checked September 2, 2026.
Every priced plan, average
| Plan | Per year | vs cheapest | Effective |
|---|---|---|---|
| Schedule RLC - Residential Low-Income: Citytime-of-use · tiered · low-income rate | $3.37 | −$0.11 | 4.4¢ |
| Schedule RLS-Residential Low-Income: Suburbantime-of-use · tiered · low-income rate | $3.37 | −$0.11 | 4.4¢ |
| Schedule RES-Residential Elderly/Disabled: Suburbantime-of-use · tiered · elderly or disabled customers only | $3.37 | −$0.11 | 4.4¢ |
| Schedule REC - Residential Elderly/Disabled: Citytime-of-use · tiered · elderly or disabled customers only | $3.47 | −$0.01 | 4.4¢ |
| RESIDENTIAL - SCHEDULE 35✓ cheapesttiered | $3.48 | — | 5.9¢ |
| Schedule RLB-Residential Low Income: Burientime-of-use · tiered · low-income rate | $3.59 | +$0.11 | 4.5¢ |
| Schedule REB-Residential Elderly/Disabled: Burientime-of-use · tiered · elderly or disabled customers only | $3.59 | +$0.11 | 4.5¢ |
| Schedule RET-Residential Elderly/Disabled: Tukwilatime-of-use · tiered · elderly or disabled customers only | $3.60 | +$0.12 | 4.6¢ |
| Schedule RLT-Residential Low-Income: Tukwilatime-of-use · tiered · low-income rate | $3.61 | +$0.13 | 4.6¢ |
| Schedule RLH- Residential Low-Income: Shorelinetime-of-use · tiered · low-income rate | $3.63 | +$0.15 | 4.6¢ |
| Schedule REH- Residential Elderly/Disabled: Shorelinetime-of-use · tiered · elderly or disabled customers only | $3.63 | +$0.15 | 4.6¢ |
| Schedule RLE-Residential Low Income: SeaTactime-of-use · tiered · low-income rate | $3.63 | +$0.15 | 4.6¢ |
| Schedule REE-Residential Elderly/Disabled: SeaTactime-of-use · tiered · elderly or disabled customers only | $3.63 | +$0.15 | 4.6¢ |
| Schedule RSC - Residential: Seattleflat rate | $9.24 | +$5.76 | 15.3¢ |
| Schedule RSE-Residential: Rentonflat rate | $9.36 | +$5.88 | 15.5¢ |
| Schedule RSL-Residential: Normandy Parkflat rate | $9.84 | +$6.36 | 16.4¢ |
| Schedule RST-Residential: Tukwilaflat rate | $9.96 | +$6.48 | 16.6¢ |
| Schedule RSE-Residential: SeaTacflat rate | $10.08 | +$6.60 | 16.7¢ |
| Schedule RSB-Residential: Burienflat rate | $10.08 | +$6.60 | 16.7¢ |
| Schedule RSH-Residential: Shorelineflat rate | $10.08 | +$6.60 | 16.7¢ |
| Schedule RSB-Residential: King Countyflat rate | $10.08 | +$6.60 | 16.7¢ |
| Schedule RSL-Residential: Lake Forest Parkflat rate | $10.08 | +$6.60 | 16.7¢ |
Cost across usage levels
The cheapest plan at each consumption level, showing whether the ranking holds as usage changes.
- Lighter use — cheapest $2.04 (RESIDENTIAL - SCHEDULE 35), dearest $5.76, a $3.72 spread
- Average — cheapest $3.48 (RESIDENTIAL - SCHEDULE 35), dearest $10.08, a $6.60 spread
- Heavier use — cheapest $4.20 (RESIDENTIAL - SCHEDULE 35), dearest $12.12, a $7.92 spread
What a washing machine costs here
Across 22 plans priced in Washington, a washing machine adds $3.48 to $10.08 a year — $0.29 to $0.84 a month. The median plan puts a washing machine at $10.02 a year.
Cheapest for a washing machine: RESIDENTIAL - SCHEDULE 35, Modern Electric Water Company. Dearest: Schedule RSL-Residential: Lake Forest Park, City of Seattle, Washington (Utility Company).
Those 66 kWh are billed at 5.3¢–15.3¢, against a 16.6¢ whole-bill average on the median plan, so on these plans the two rates are close.
What Washington homes use
EIA's 2020 residential survey found 66 kWh a year across 391 sampled homes that run one, near the national 69 kWh. The middle half spans 38 kWh to 79 kWh, so a washing machine varies by 41 kWh between one household and another.
The washer's own motor and controls. Heating the water is billed to the water heater, not here. That average covers homes with a washing machine — 85% of homes here.
That makes a washing machine about 1% of the electricity a Washington home uses. The remaining 10,924 kWh is what a washing machine is billed on top of, and on a tiered or time-of-use plan that is what sets the rate it meets.
By provider
On each Washington provider's cheapest plan: Modern Electric Water Company, $3.48; City of Seattle, Washington (Utility Company), $9.24.
City of Seattle, Washington (Utility Company) charges $5.76 a year more than Modern Electric Water Company on RESIDENTIAL - SCHEDULE 35 for the same 66 kWh.
Light and heavy use of a washing machine
A household in the lighter quarter runs a washing machine for 38 kWh a year and pays $2.04 on the cheapest plan. One in the heavier quarter runs it for 79 kWh and pays $4.20 — $2.16 more for a washing machine on the same tariff.
Limits
A 2020 survey average for Washington, not a measurement of any one home, priced against the 22 Washington tariffs WattClear has ingested — not every plan sold there.
New to these terms? The methodology page explains tiered bands, time-of-use periods and fixed charges, and sets out exactly what the rate engine assumes.
Estimate — your actual bill may differ.
Tariff structures from NREL/OpenEI Utility Rate Database (CC0 1.0), retrieved September 2, 2026.
Location resolved through the US Census Bureau Geocoder (Public domain) at 47.6588, -117.4260.