How much does it cost to run an air conditioner in Oregon?

Short answer

A 3-ton central air conditioner in Oregon costs about $22.29 in July and $60.71 a year at 15.46¢/kWh; an 8,000 BTU window unit about $4.36 in July.

• Oregon pays 15.46¢/kWh on average for Jan–Aug 2026 — 15% below the U.S. average of 18.19¢, the 29th most expensive of the 50 states and DC.
• Oregon averages 237 cooling degree days a year against 1,216 nationally (NOAA), so we estimate 146 full-load cooling hours — 1.7 a day in July.
• A new 3-ton split system sold for Oregon must reach at least SEER2 13.4 (DOE northern region); it draws about 2.69 kW on average and $0.42 an hour.
• Moving up to the ENERGY STAR average of about SEER2 17 would cut the yearly bill to $47.86 — $12.86 a year less.
• The average Oregon home used 873 kWh a month in 2025; this system adds 144 kWh in July.