lighting · 30W typical
Running a security flood light costs about $0.15/month.
That's the typical security flood light at 30W, run 1 hours a day at the US-average rate of 16.5¢/kWh. Change any of those and the number moves — use the calculator below to see yours.
Estimated cost
Full-power draw for 1 hours at 16.5¢/kWh.
How you use it
Cost shifts with how long it's on.
The same security flood light can cost very different amounts depending on usage patterns. Three common scenarios, at the US-average rate.
motion triggered
$0.15
per month
total on-time from motion events
dusk-to-dawn
$1.78
per month
running all night
Where you live
$0.27 spread between the cheapest and priciest states.
Same appliance, same hours of use, different zip code — the monthly cost varies this much.
| State | Rate | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 41.2¢ | $0.37 | $4.51 |
| California | 31.4¢ | $0.28 | $3.44 |
| Massachusetts | 30.8¢ | $0.28 | $3.37 |
| Connecticut | 28.7¢ | $0.26 | $3.14 |
| Rhode Island | 27.9¢ | $0.25 | $3.06 |
| New Hampshire | 24.6¢ | $0.22 | $2.69 |
| Alaska | 24.3¢ | $0.22 | $2.66 |
| New York | 22.3¢ | $0.20 | $2.44 |
| Maine | 22.1¢ | $0.20 | $2.42 |
| Vermont | 21.5¢ | $0.19 | $2.35 |
| Michigan | 19.3¢ | $0.17 | $2.11 |
| New Jersey | 19.1¢ | $0.17 | $2.09 |
| Maryland | 18.4¢ | $0.17 | $2.01 |
| Pennsylvania | 18.1¢ | $0.16 | $1.98 |
| District of Columbia | 17.8¢ | $0.16 | $1.95 |
| Wisconsin | 17.4¢ | $0.16 | $1.91 |
| Delaware | 17.2¢ | $0.15 | $1.88 |
| Illinois | 16.9¢ | $0.15 | $1.85 |
| Ohio | 16.6¢ | $0.15 | $1.82 |
| Nevada | 16.3¢ | $0.15 | $1.78 |
| Indiana | 15.8¢ | $0.14 | $1.73 |
| Virginia | 15.7¢ | $0.14 | $1.72 |
| Minnesota | 15.6¢ | $0.14 | $1.71 |
| Colorado | 15.4¢ | $0.14 | $1.69 |
| Alabama | 15.2¢ | $0.14 | $1.66 |
| West Virginia | 15.2¢ | $0.14 | $1.66 |
| Florida | 15.1¢ | $0.14 | $1.65 |
| New Mexico | 14.8¢ | $0.13 | $1.62 |
| Texas | 14.8¢ | $0.13 | $1.62 |
| Arizona | 14.7¢ | $0.13 | $1.61 |
| South Carolina | 14.7¢ | $0.13 | $1.61 |
| Kansas | 14.6¢ | $0.13 | $1.60 |
| Georgia | 14.2¢ | $0.13 | $1.55 |
| Iowa | 14.1¢ | $0.13 | $1.54 |
| North Carolina | 13.9¢ | $0.13 | $1.52 |
| Missouri | 13.6¢ | $0.12 | $1.49 |
| Oregon | 13.4¢ | $0.12 | $1.47 |
| Tennessee | 13.3¢ | $0.12 | $1.46 |
| Kentucky | 13.2¢ | $0.12 | $1.45 |
| Mississippi | 13.1¢ | $0.12 | $1.43 |
| Oklahoma | 13.1¢ | $0.12 | $1.43 |
| South Dakota | 12.7¢ | $0.11 | $1.39 |
| Montana | 12.4¢ | $0.11 | $1.36 |
| Nebraska | 12.2¢ | $0.11 | $1.34 |
| Arkansas | 12.1¢ | $0.11 | $1.32 |
| Washington | 12.1¢ | $0.11 | $1.32 |
| Louisiana | 11.9¢ | $0.11 | $1.30 |
| Wyoming | 11.6¢ | $0.10 | $1.27 |
| North Dakota | 11.5¢ | $0.10 | $1.26 |
| Utah | 11.4¢ | $0.10 | $1.25 |
| Idaho | 11.3¢ | $0.10 | $1.24 |
Efficient vs. inefficient
A $29.21/year difference across the wattage range.
Swapping a high-draw model for an efficient one pays for itself. Here's what that looks like annually at typical usage.
Most efficient
15W
$0.07 per month
$0.90 per year
Typical
30W
$0.15 per month
$1.81 per year
High draw
500W
$2.48 per month
$30.11 per year
When it hits hardest
year-round peak
Dusk-to-dawn varies with daylight hours.
Ways to cut the cost
- 1
Replace 150-300W halogen floods with 25-40W LED
Saves 300-500 kWh/year per fixture
- 2
Use motion sensor instead of dusk-to-dawn
Cuts runtime 90%
- 3
Solar-powered is free to run after install
Eliminates grid draw
Real-world wattages
Pulled from actual spec sheets.
| Brand | Model | Watts |
|---|---|---|
| Ring | Floodlight Cam Wired Plus | 30W |
| Heath Zenith | HZ-5411 LED Motion | 26W |
| Hyper Tough | LED Security Light | 28W |
Picks that actually move the needle
Three products worth comparing if you're thinking about upgrading or supplementing what you have.
Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy, we may earn a small commission — it never changes the price you pay, and we only recommend picks we would stand behind.
See also
Related appliances
Sources: www.energy.gov · www.energystar.gov
Last updated: 2026-04-13