How much does it cost to run a space heater in Iowa?

Data checked October 2026

Short answer

Running a 1,500-watt space heater 8 hours a day in Iowa costs about $53.11 a month — $0.22 an hour on full power at Iowa's average 14.55¢/kWh.

Iowa pays 14.55¢/kWh on average for Jan–Aug 2026 — 20% below the U.S. average of 18.19¢, the 37th most expensive of the 50 states and DC.
7 months average below 60°F there (October, November, December, January, February, March and April), so a full season of this use costs about $372.
With a thermostat cycling 40–70% of the time it's closer to $21.25–$37.18 a month.
Heat from resistance costs $42.64 per million Btu in Iowa, versus $10.78 from a 95% gas furnace at $1.02/therm and $17.24 from an average ENERGY STAR heat pump.
January is the coldest month, averaging 18°F (NOAA normals).

Adjust it to your exact job

Your heater

Wattage setting

It's on the label. Most plug-in heaters max out at 1,500 W, which draws 12.5 A at 120 V.

Exact watts

Heaters

How you use it

Hours a day

Days a month

How often the element is on

A heater with a thermostat switches off once the room is warm. Nonstop is the most it can cost; 40–70% is typical with thermostat cycling.

Electricity rate

Where you live

Price per kWh

EIA's state average: total residential revenue ÷ kWh sold, so delivery and fixed monthly charges are spread over every kWh.

1,500 W space heater costs

$53.11a month

365 kWh · $0.22 per hour on full · $372 for a 7-month season

At 14.55¢/kWh — Iowa average, Jan–Aug 2026 (EIA). That is 20% below the U.S. average of 18.19¢.

Per hour on full power: $0.221.5 kWh
Per day: $1.758 h at 100%
Heat output: 5,118Btu/h1 W = 3.412 Btu/h
Current draw: 12.5Aper heater at 120 V

With a thermostat

If it cycles 40–70% of the time, expect $21.25–$37.18 a month instead.

Cost by period
Period	kWh	Cost
Per hour of use	1.5	$0.22
Per day	12	$1.75
Per month	365	$53.11
Per season (7 mo)	2,555	$372

At 12.5 A this heater nearly fills a 15 A circuit on its own. Plug it straight into a wall outlet — no extension cords or power strips.

Heating season in Iowa

Jan
18°
Feb
24°
Mar
36°
Apr
49°
May
60°
Jun
70°
Jul
74°
Aug
71°
Sep
63°
Oct
51°
Nov
36°
Dec
23°

Normal mean temperature (NOAA, population-weighted). Highlighted months average below 60°F.

Cheapest way to make the same heat

Cost per million Btu of delivered heat
Heat source	$ per million Btu	This much heat
Gas furnace, 95% AFUE	$10.78	$13.43
Gas furnace, 80% AFUE	$12.80	$15.94
Heat pump (ENERGY STAR avg)	$17.24	$21.47
Propane furnace, 95% AFUE	$19.61	$24.43
Space heater / baseboard	$42.64	$53.11
Oil furnace, 80% AFUE	$52.50	$65.39

In Iowa resistance heat costs 4× as much as gas heat from a 95% furnace. A space heater only saves money when it lets you turn the whole-house thermostat down several degrees and heat just the room you're in. A heat pump delivers the same heat for about $21.47 a month.

How to cut it

Keep 3 ft of clearance, plug straight into a wall outlet and pick a model with tip-over and overheat shut-off.
Close the door of the room you're heating: a 1,500 W heater puts out 5,118 Btu/h, a small fraction of what a central furnace delivers.
Don't switch the central heat off entirely in a freezing spell: pipes in outside walls can freeze.
Use the thermostat or timer: every hour the element is off saves $0.22.

Energy budget

365 kWh 1,500 W space heater — electricity per month8 h/day at 100% · 14.55¢/kWh$53.11
2,555 kWh 1,500 W space heater — whole heating season (7 mo)$372

Estimated total$425

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Compare

Space heater cost in Iowa (14.55¢/kWh)

Heater	Per hour	8 h/day, month	24 h/day, month	Season (7 mo, 8 h)
750 W	$0.11	$26.56	$79.67	$186
900 W	$0.13	$31.87	$95.60	$223
1,500 W	$0.22	$53.11	$159.34	$372

How this was worked out

1.5 kW × 8 h = 12 kWh a day; × 30.42 days = 365 kWh a month; × 14.55¢ (Iowa average, Jan–Aug 2026, EIA) = $53.11.

Because resistance heat costs 4× as much as gas heat in Iowa, a space heater saves money only if it lets you turn the whole-house thermostat down and heat just the room you're in. If your home heats with electric baseboards or furnace strips, a space heater costs the same per Btu — the saving comes only from heating fewer rooms.

The average Iowa home used 857 kWh a month in 2025 (EIA); this heater adds 43% to that while it runs.

The full method, material data and tips are on the main space heater cost calculator page.

More Iowa electricity costs

States with similar prices

Similar jobs

Other sizes people check

Sources

Data behind this answer

EIA Electric Power Monthly, Tables 5.6.A & 5.6.B — residential price by state (August 2026) — latest month and Jan–Aug 2026 year-to-date average for every state; preliminary, refreshed monthly · checked October 2026
Lasko CC13700 ceramic console space heater — 1,500 W high / 900 W low, 7.5–12.5 A, $49.99 · checked October 2026
EIA Energy Explained — British thermal units — 1 kWh = 3,412 Btu; therm 100,000; propane 91,452 Btu/gal; heating oil 138,500 Btu/gal · checked October 2026
EIA residential natural gas prices by state — 2025 annual $/Mcf (2024 where 2025 is withheld), ÷ 10.36 therms per Mcf · checked October 2026
EIA Heating Oil and Propane Update — residential propane and heating oil by state, week of Oct 19, 2026, excluding taxes · checked October 2026
ENERGY STAR certified central AC & heat pumps (dataset) — 3-ton split average SEER2 17.06 / EER2 11.49 / HSPF2 8.44; 12k mini-split SEER2 22.81 · checked October 2026
NOAA Climate Prediction Center — population-weighted state degree days — monthly normal heating and cooling degree days by state (base 65°F) · checked October 2026
EIA-861M sales and revenue by state — 2025 average household use and bill per state (U.S. 878 kWh, $151.88 a month) · checked October 2026
EIA Electric Power Monthly technical notes — average price = revenue ÷ sales, including fixed customer charges, fuel adjustments and surcharges · checked October 2026

Short answer

Running a 1,500-watt space heater 8 hours a day in Iowa costs about $53.11 a month — $0.22 an hour on full power at Iowa's average 14.55¢/kWh.

Iowa pays 14.55¢/kWh on average for Jan–Aug 2026 — 20% below the U.S. average of 18.19¢, the 37th most expensive of the 50 states and DC.

7 months average below 60°F there (October, November, December, January, February, March and April), so a full season of this use costs about $372.

With a thermostat cycling 40–70% of the time it's closer to $21.25–$37.18 a month.

Heat from resistance costs $42.64 per million Btu in Iowa, versus $10.78 from a 95% gas furnace at $1.02/therm and $17.24 from an average ENERGY STAR heat pump.

January is the coldest month, averaging 18°F (NOAA normals).

Adjust it to your exact job

Your heater

Wattage setting

It's on the label. Most plug-in heaters max out at 1,500 W, which draws 12.5 A at 120 V.

Exact watts

Heaters

How you use it

Hours a day

Days a month

How often the element is on

A heater with a thermostat switches off once the room is warm. Nonstop is the most it can cost; 40–70% is typical with thermostat cycling.

Electricity rate

Where you live

Price per kWh

EIA's state average: total residential revenue ÷ kWh sold, so delivery and fixed monthly charges are spread over every kWh.

1,500 W space heater costs

$53.11a month

365 kWh · $0.22 per hour on full · $372 for a 7-month season

At 14.55¢/kWh — Iowa average, Jan–Aug 2026 (EIA). That is 20% below the U.S. average of 18.19¢.

Per hour on full power: $0.221.5 kWh
Per day: $1.758 h at 100%
Heat output: 5,118Btu/h1 W = 3.412 Btu/h
Current draw: 12.5Aper heater at 120 V

With a thermostat

If it cycles 40–70% of the time, expect $21.25–$37.18 a month instead.

Cost by period
Period	kWh	Cost
Per hour of use	1.5	$0.22
Per day	12	$1.75
Per month	365	$53.11
Per season (7 mo)	2,555	$372

At 12.5 A this heater nearly fills a 15 A circuit on its own. Plug it straight into a wall outlet — no extension cords or power strips.

Heating season in Iowa

Jan
18°
Feb
24°
Mar
36°
Apr
49°
May
60°
Jun
70°
Jul
74°
Aug
71°
Sep
63°
Oct
51°
Nov
36°
Dec
23°

Normal mean temperature (NOAA, population-weighted). Highlighted months average below 60°F.

Cheapest way to make the same heat

Cost per million Btu of delivered heat
Heat source	$ per million Btu	This much heat
Gas furnace, 95% AFUE	$10.78	$13.43
Gas furnace, 80% AFUE	$12.80	$15.94
Heat pump (ENERGY STAR avg)	$17.24	$21.47
Propane furnace, 95% AFUE	$19.61	$24.43
Space heater / baseboard	$42.64	$53.11
Oil furnace, 80% AFUE	$52.50	$65.39

How to cut it

Keep 3 ft of clearance, plug straight into a wall outlet and pick a model with tip-over and overheat shut-off.
Close the door of the room you're heating: a 1,500 W heater puts out 5,118 Btu/h, a small fraction of what a central furnace delivers.
Don't switch the central heat off entirely in a freezing spell: pipes in outside walls can freeze.
Use the thermostat or timer: every hour the element is off saves $0.22.

Energy budget

365 kWh 1,500 W space heater — electricity per month8 h/day at 100% · 14.55¢/kWh$53.11
2,555 kWh 1,500 W space heater — whole heating season (7 mo)$372

Estimated total$425

Heater

Per hour

8 h/day, month

24 h/day, month

Season (7 mo, 8 h)

750 W

$0.11

$26.56

$79.67

$186

900 W

$0.13

$31.87

$95.60

$223

1,500 W

$0.22

$53.11

$159.34

$372

How this was worked out

1.5 kW × 8 h = 12 kWh a day; × 30.42 days = 365 kWh a month; × 14.55¢ (Iowa average, Jan–Aug 2026, EIA) = $53.11.

The average Iowa home used 857 kWh a month in 2025 (EIA); this heater adds 43% to that while it runs.

The full method, material data and tips are on the main space heater cost calculator page.