outdoor · 1100W typical

Running a well pump costs about $0.27/month.

That's the typical well pump at 1100W, run 0.5 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

$0.27/month

$0.01 per day$3.31 per year1.65 kWh monthly

Wattage

Hours / day

Your rate

A well pump draws full power only while the thermostat/compressor is running — about 0.1 effective hours at 1100W across your 0.5-hour window.

How you use it

Cost shifts with how long it's on.

The same well pump can cost very different amounts depending on usage patterns. Three common scenarios, at the US-average rate.

household water

$0.27

per month

cycles during showers and laundry

0.5 hrs/day·$3.31/yr

irrigation day

$1.09

per month

sprinkler system days

2 hrs/day·$13.25/yr

Where you live

$0.49 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¢	$0.68	$8.27
California	31.4¢	$0.52	$6.30
Massachusetts	30.8¢	$0.51	$6.18
Connecticut	28.7¢	$0.47	$5.76
Rhode Island	27.9¢	$0.46	$5.60
New Hampshire	24.6¢	$0.41	$4.94
Alaska	24.3¢	$0.40	$4.88
New York	22.3¢	$0.37	$4.48
Maine	22.1¢	$0.36	$4.44
Vermont	21.5¢	$0.35	$4.32
Michigan	19.3¢	$0.32	$3.87
New Jersey	19.1¢	$0.32	$3.83
Maryland	18.4¢	$0.30	$3.69
Pennsylvania	18.1¢	$0.30	$3.63
District of Columbia	17.8¢	$0.29	$3.57
Wisconsin	17.4¢	$0.29	$3.49
Delaware	17.2¢	$0.28	$3.45
Illinois	16.9¢	$0.28	$3.39
Ohio	16.6¢	$0.27	$3.33
Nevada	16.3¢	$0.27	$3.27
Indiana	15.8¢	$0.26	$3.17
Virginia	15.7¢	$0.26	$3.15
Minnesota	15.6¢	$0.26	$3.13
Colorado	15.4¢	$0.25	$3.09
Alabama	15.2¢	$0.25	$3.05
West Virginia	15.2¢	$0.25	$3.05
Florida	15.1¢	$0.25	$3.03
New Mexico	14.8¢	$0.24	$2.97
Texas	14.8¢	$0.24	$2.97
Arizona	14.7¢	$0.24	$2.95
South Carolina	14.7¢	$0.24	$2.95
Kansas	14.6¢	$0.24	$2.93
Georgia	14.2¢	$0.23	$2.85
Iowa	14.1¢	$0.23	$2.83
North Carolina	13.9¢	$0.23	$2.79
Missouri	13.6¢	$0.22	$2.73
Oregon	13.4¢	$0.22	$2.69
Tennessee	13.3¢	$0.22	$2.67
Kentucky	13.2¢	$0.22	$2.65
Mississippi	13.1¢	$0.22	$2.63
Oklahoma	13.1¢	$0.22	$2.63
South Dakota	12.7¢	$0.21	$2.55
Montana	12.4¢	$0.20	$2.49
Nebraska	12.2¢	$0.20	$2.45
Arkansas	12.1¢	$0.20	$2.43
Washington	12.1¢	$0.20	$2.43
Louisiana	11.9¢	$0.20	$2.39
Wyoming	11.6¢	$0.19	$2.33
North Dakota	11.5¢	$0.19	$2.31
Utah	11.4¢	$0.19	$2.29
Idaho	11.3¢	$0.19	$2.27

Efficient vs. inefficient

A $4.37/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

750W

$0.19 per month

$2.26 per year

Typical

1100W

$0.27 per month

$3.31 per year

High draw

2200W

$0.54 per month

$6.62 per year

When it hits hardest

summer peak

Irrigation season spikes summer use.

Ways to cut the cost

1
Install or upgrade expansion tank — prevents rapid cycling
Cuts pump kWh 20-30%
2
Fix leaky fixtures — even small drips trigger pump cycles all night
Can save 100+ kWh/year
3
Replace pressure switch every 5-7 years
Failing switches cause 30-50% excess runtime

Real-world wattages

Pulled from actual spec sheets.

Brand	Model	Watts
Goulds	10GS10 1HP Submersible	750W
Franklin Electric	J Series 1HP	1120W
Grundfos	SQE 5-50 1HP	1100W

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.

Well Pump Pressure Switch Square D

Failing switches cause rapid-cycle and waste watts

$30-45

Expansion Tank (larger capacity)

Prevents pump short-cycling which burns watts

$120-180

Kill A Watt P3 P4460 Meter

Well pumps silently inefficient — measure yours

$28-35