What is the Average Kilowatt Usage Per Day for Homes in the US?

The average American household consumes roughly 29 kWh per day. This comes from the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) national average of 10,500 kWh per year (10,500÷365.25 days).

To put that into perspective, a 29 kWh per day could look like this in a typical home:

• Refrigerator (running 24/7): 2 kWh
• Central Air Conditioning (5 hours): 12 kWh
• Electric Water Heater (2 hours): 8 kWh
• Clothes Dryer (1 load): 3 kWh
• TV & Streaming Devices (5 hours): 1 kWh
• Lights (LED bulbs throughout the house, 5 hours total use): 1 kWh
• Other small appliances (microwave, phone chargers, laptops, etc.): 2 kWh

Of course, this isn’t the case for everyone. Some households run appliances for fewer hours while others have additional energy demands, for example, heated pool, workshop equipment, and other power guzzlers.

And for that reason, looking at daily consumption makes more sense. Your utility bill may give you a total for the month, but breaking it down by day helps you understand your actual energy needs better.

In this article, we’ll look into average daily kilowatt usage based on different factors to give you a baseline of what’s considered normal and help you identify any patterns of wasteful energy use in your home.

And if you’re thinking about going solar, this will give you a clearer idea of the system size suited to your home (more on this later).

Average Kilowatt Hour Consumption Per Square Foot

The average home size in the U.S. is about 2,300 square feet, and as we covered earlier, the average household uses 29 kWh daily. That means, on average, homes use around 12.6 Watts per square foot daily (0.39 kWh per square foot monthly).

Putting that into perspective, this is how it would be for different home sizes.

*assumes the US average electricity rate for residential use ($0.17 per kWh)

The numbers above should give you an idea of whether your home is running efficiently for its size or if you’re using more power (and thus paying more) than necessary.

But even without crunching the numbers, it’s generally fair to say that the bigger your home is, the more energy it takes to run it. A larger house simply has more rooms to light up, more appliances to run, and more space to heat or cool.

Average kWh Consumption Per State

Where you live factors into your electricity consumption in a big way.

First, and probably the most obvious factor – climate. If you’re in a hotter state like Texas or Louisiana, you’ll likely use more A/C than someone in California or Vermont, where the weather is milder.

But beyond climate, there’s also electricity rates, which vary per state. High demand often means higher prices, and that pushes homeowners to cut back on grid power as much as possible.

In the table below, we pulled the latest information from the EIA on average monthly consumption and calculated what that costs based on the average electricity rates per state.

Other Factors That Influence Normal kWh Usage

Five primary factors influence a household’s kilowatt usage. We’ve discussed the first two, namely, the size of your home and your location/state. Now, let’s explore the other three.

Number of Household Members

Generally, the more people in your home, the higher your energy use. A family of four will probably run more loads of laundry than a household of three.

Another simple example? The fridge. More people means more trips to the kitchen, more door swings, and more warm air sneaking in, forcing the fridge to work harder just to keep everything cold.

A chart would be great here, but even this factor alone has many layers.

There’s each household member’s lifestyle and daily routine. If someone works from home or there’s a stay-at-home parent, energy use will naturally be higher due to longer hours of heating or cooling.

There’s also household wealth. Generally speaking, the more a household has, the more it spends, including on electricity.

Your Home’s Energy Efficiency

There are two ways to look at home energy efficiency.

First, there’s your home’s overall construction. If it’s well-insulated, whether through high-quality materials that resist heat transfer or proper sealing techniques, it’ll retain warmth in the winter and keep cool air inside during the summer.

This means your HVAC system won’t have to work as hard, cutting down on energy use and reducing your reliance on the grid.

Second is the efficiency of your home appliances. Take Energy Star-rated refrigerators, for example. They’re about 9% more energy-efficient than standard models, meaning they use less electricity while delivering the same performance.

How well (or poorly) your home fares in these two areas will have a big impact on your overall energy consumption.

Seasonal Changes

Seasonal variations have a huge impact on electricity usage. In the summer, we crank up the A/C to stay cool, while in the winter, heating runs for longer periods to keep us warm.

And as energy demand spikes, we circle back to how electricity rates influence consumption.

In many states, peak hours stretch longer during extreme seasons, both summer and winter. This makes us think twice about drawing from the grid or looking for ways to reduce cost instead (Quick note: we previously covered how to lower your summer energy bills.)

How Much Solar Power Do You Need to Cover Your Energy Use?

If your goal is to cover 100% of your electric consumption, you’ll need a solar system that generates as much power as your home uses on an average day.

That means, if you consume around 29 kWh per day, you’d likely need a 7-kW solar system, which produces about 28 to 35 kWh per day. That’s at least 16 solar panels or more, just to give you a quick snapshot of what this setup looks like.

But even if you don’t cover all your electricity use, solar still makes a big difference in your electric bill and overall savings.

Think of it this way. Whether you buy your system upfront or through financing, you’re locking in a consistent price for the power your panels generate over their lifespan. That’s a stark contrast to utility rates, which rise an average of 3% every year.

That said, if you choose stable over unpredictable, then definitely consider going for solar.

Slash Your Electricity Costs With Solar

As we’ve discussed, solar helps you cut or even eliminate your reliance on utility power. But getting the most out of it starts with the right solar system, properly sized for your home’s energy needs – and reputable professionals to install it safely and efficiently.

At Quote for Solar, we connect you with trusted home solar installers so you don’t have to spend hours looking for the right match. We’ve carefully screened them for quality and customer service to make your solar transition experience as smooth and hands-off as possible.

Simply request a quote, and our team will get back to you with three competitive solar estimates from solar installers in your area.

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Jan Watermann Co-Founder, Quote for Solar