The short answer
An average 8 minute shower at 2.2 gallons a minute uses about 17.6 gallons of warm water. Heating it costs about 38 cents with an electric water heater at the U.S. average rate (18.16¢ per kWh, August 2026), 17 cents with a gas tank and 11 cents with a heat pump water heater: $139.57 a year for a daily shower on electric. Water and sewer charges are extra.
The same shower in every state
8 minutes at 2.2 gpm and 105°F with an electric tank, at each state's prices and cold-water temperature (August 2026).
| Alabama | 32 cents | 16.33¢ |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 88 cents | 29.41¢ |
| Arizona | 18 cents | 15.05¢ |
| Arkansas | 26 cents | 14.37¢ |
| California | 53 cents | 29.75¢ |
| Colorado | 42 cents | 17.17¢ |
| Connecticut | 56 cents | 24.51¢ |
| Delaware | 40 cents | 18.70¢ |
| District of Columbia | 52 cents | 25.98¢ |
| Florida | 21 cents | 14.99¢ |
| Georgia | 30 cents | 15.90¢ |
| Hawaii | 55 cents | 47.18¢ |
| Idaho | 31 cents | 13.37¢ |
| Illinois | 44 cents | 19.32¢ |
| Indiana | 38 cents | 17.02¢ |
| Iowa | 41 cents | 17.06¢ |
| Kansas | 32 cents | 15.47¢ |
| Kentucky | 28 cents | 13.80¢ |
| Louisiana | 19 cents | 12.87¢ |
| Maine | 81 cents | 32.11¢ |
| Maryland | 45 cents | 21.40¢ |
| Massachusetts | 71 cents | 30.48¢ |
| Michigan | 54 cents | 22.99¢ |
| Minnesota | 44 cents | 17.20¢ |
| Mississippi | 24 cents | 14.43¢ |
| Missouri | 34 cents | 16.02¢ |
| Montana | 39 cents | 15.57¢ |
| Nebraska | 31 cents | 13.54¢ |
| Nevada | 19 cents | 12.72¢ |
| New Hampshire | 66 cents | 27.64¢ |
| New Jersey | 53 cents | 24.61¢ |
| New Mexico | 34 cents | 16.51¢ |
| New York | 62 cents | 28.65¢ |
| North Carolina | 28 cents | 14.95¢ |
| North Dakota | 37 cents | 13.31¢ |
| Ohio | 43 cents | 19.38¢ |
| Oklahoma | 28 cents | 14.82¢ |
| Oregon | 35 cents | 15.92¢ |
| Pennsylvania | 46 cents | 21.77¢ |
| Rhode Island | 69 cents | 28.18¢ |
| South Carolina | 27 cents | 15.76¢ |
| South Dakota | 38 cents | 15.15¢ |
| Tennessee | 26 cents | 13.42¢ |
| Texas | 23 cents | 15.91¢ |
| Utah | 29 cents | 13.31¢ |
| Vermont | 60 cents | 23.84¢ |
| Virginia | 34 cents | 17.64¢ |
| Washington | 34 cents | 14.63¢ |
| West Virginia | 35 cents | 16.31¢ |
| Wisconsin | 47 cents | 19.41¢ |
| Wyoming | 37 cents | 14.43¢ |
How it works
The formula
heat = gallons × 8.34 lb × (shower − cold water)°F
cost = heat ÷ the heater's efficiency (UEF) × fuel price
Assumptions
- Length and flow: EPA WaterSense: the average shower lasts eight minutes at 2.2 gallons a minute. WaterSense showerheads use 2.0 or less; the federal limit is 2.5.
- Temperature: 105°F is our starting assumption for a comfortable shower; type yours.
- Heaters: the same efficiencies as our water heater calculator (federal minimums for tanks, ENERGY STAR's minimum for heat pump). Heat lost from the tank and pipes between showers isn't counted.
- Energy only: water and sewer bills vary too much by town to include.
Worked example: an average shower, electric tank
- 8 × 2.2 = 17.6 gallons
- × 8.34 × (105 − 60) = 6,605 Btu
- ÷ 0.92 ÷ 3,412 Btu per kWh × 18.16¢ = 38 cents
Ways to cut the cost
- A WaterSense showerhead cuts water and energy together.
- Shorter beats cooler: two minutes off saves a quarter of an eight-minute shower.
- Set the water heater to 120°F, the setting DOE recommends for most homes.
Questions people ask
How much does a shower cost?
An 8 minute shower at 2.2 gallons a minute uses 17.6 gallons, warmed from about 60°F to 105°F. With an electric water heater that's 38 cents at the U.S. average of 18.16¢ per kWh (EIA, August 2026); with a gas tank 17 cents; with a heat pump water heater 11 cents. Water and sewer charges are extra.
How long is the average shower?
EPA WaterSense says the average shower lasts eight minutes and, at 2.2 gallons a minute, uses about 18 gallons.
Do low-flow showerheads save money?
Yes. A WaterSense showerhead uses no more than 2.0 gallons a minute; federal law caps any showerhead at 2.5. At 2.0 gpm the same shower costs 35 cents with an electric heater, and you also save the water. Cutting a 15 minute shower (72 cents) to 8 saves more.
What temperature is a hot shower?
We start at 105°F as a typical comfortable shower; preferences run from the high 90s to about 110°F. Type yours; hotter showers cost more because more of the water comes from the heater.