The short answer
A 1/2 hp well pump for a household of three (246 gallons a day at EPA's 82 gallons a person) runs about 25 minutes a day and costs about $1.52 a month at the U.S. average electricity rate of 18.16¢ per kWh (August 2026). Irrigation is what makes well pump bills jump.
The same pump in every state
A 670 W pump at 10 gallons a minute for 246 gallons a day, at each state's average residential rate (August 2026).
| Alabama | $1.36 | $16.36 | 16.33¢ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $2.46 | $29.47 | 29.41¢ |
| Arizona | $1.26 | $15.08 | 15.05¢ |
| Arkansas | $1.20 | $14.40 | 14.37¢ |
| California | $2.48 | $29.81 | 29.75¢ |
| Colorado | $1.43 | $17.21 | 17.17¢ |
| Connecticut | $2.05 | $24.56 | 24.51¢ |
| Delaware | $1.56 | $18.74 | 18.70¢ |
| District of Columbia | $2.17 | $26.03 | 25.98¢ |
| Florida | $1.25 | $15.02 | 14.99¢ |
| Georgia | $1.33 | $15.93 | 15.90¢ |
| Hawaii | $3.94 | $47.28 | 47.18¢ |
| Idaho | $1.12 | $13.40 | 13.37¢ |
| Illinois | $1.61 | $19.36 | 19.32¢ |
| Indiana | $1.42 | $17.06 | 17.02¢ |
| Iowa | $1.42 | $17.10 | 17.06¢ |
| Kansas | $1.29 | $15.50 | 15.47¢ |
| Kentucky | $1.15 | $13.83 | 13.80¢ |
| Louisiana | $1.07 | $12.90 | 12.87¢ |
| Maine | $2.68 | $32.18 | 32.11¢ |
| Maryland | $1.79 | $21.45 | 21.40¢ |
| Massachusetts | $2.55 | $30.54 | 30.48¢ |
| Michigan | $1.92 | $23.04 | 22.99¢ |
| Minnesota | $1.44 | $17.24 | 17.20¢ |
| Mississippi | $1.21 | $14.46 | 14.43¢ |
| Missouri | $1.34 | $16.05 | 16.02¢ |
| Montana | $1.30 | $15.60 | 15.57¢ |
| Nebraska | $1.13 | $13.57 | 13.54¢ |
| Nevada | $1.06 | $12.75 | 12.72¢ |
| New Hampshire | $2.31 | $27.70 | 27.64¢ |
| New Jersey | $2.06 | $24.66 | 24.61¢ |
| New Mexico | $1.38 | $16.54 | 16.51¢ |
| New York | $2.39 | $28.71 | 28.65¢ |
| North Carolina | $1.25 | $14.98 | 14.95¢ |
| North Dakota | $1.11 | $13.34 | 13.31¢ |
| Ohio | $1.62 | $19.42 | 19.38¢ |
| Oklahoma | $1.24 | $14.85 | 14.82¢ |
| Oregon | $1.33 | $15.95 | 15.92¢ |
| Pennsylvania | $1.82 | $21.82 | 21.77¢ |
| Rhode Island | $2.35 | $28.24 | 28.18¢ |
| South Carolina | $1.32 | $15.79 | 15.76¢ |
| South Dakota | $1.27 | $15.18 | 15.15¢ |
| Tennessee | $1.12 | $13.45 | 13.42¢ |
| Texas | $1.33 | $15.94 | 15.91¢ |
| Utah | $1.11 | $13.34 | 13.31¢ |
| Vermont | $1.99 | $23.89 | 23.84¢ |
| Virginia | $1.47 | $17.68 | 17.64¢ |
| Washington | $1.22 | $14.66 | 14.63¢ |
| West Virginia | $1.36 | $16.34 | 16.31¢ |
| Wisconsin | $1.62 | $19.45 | 19.41¢ |
| Wyoming | $1.21 | $14.46 | 14.43¢ |
How it works
The formula
hours = water ÷ (flow × 60)
cost = watts × hours ÷ 1,000 × rate
Assumptions
- Water: 82 gallons a person a day at home (EPA WaterSense, from USGS).
- Power: Franklin Electric's AIM manual lists full-load input of about 670 W (1/2 hp), 940 W (3/4 hp) and 1,210 W (1 hp) for 230 V submersible motors. A pump working below full load draws a little less.
- The pump runs only while the pressure tank refills, so its time is the water you use divided by its flow.
Worked example: a family of three
- 3 × 82 = 246 gal a day ÷ 600 gal an hour = 0.41 h
- 670 W × 0.41 h = 0.27 kWh a day
- × 30.4 days × 18.16¢ = $1.52 a month
Ways to cut the cost
- Fix leaks and running toilets: they keep the pump cycling.
- Water the garden early and with drip lines instead of sprinklers.
- Check the pressure tank once a year; a waterlogged tank makes the pump short-cycle.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to run a well pump?
For a household of three using 82 gallons each a day, a 1/2 hp pump moving 10 gallons a minute runs about 25 minutes a day, about $1.52 a month at the U.S. average of 18.16¢ per kWh (EIA, August 2026). Watering a garden with another 500 gallons a day brings it to $4.60.
How much electricity does a well pump use?
About as much as its motor draws while running: Franklin Electric lists about 670 W for a 1/2 hp submersible and 1,210 W for 1 hp at full load. A 1 hp pump for the same household costs about $2.74 a month. It only runs while the pressure tank refills, so what matters is how much water you use.
How much water does a household use?
EPA WaterSense puts the average at 82 gallons a person a day at home. Lawns, gardens and pools can add hundreds of gallons in summer.
Why is my well pump running all the time?
A leak, a running toilet or a waterlogged pressure tank can make a pump cycle constantly, which costs money and wears it out. A plumber can check the tank's air charge.