How Much to Run Central AC in North Dakota? $0.47/Hr, $65/Summer
Running central air conditioner in North Dakota costs about $0.47 an hour and roughly $65 for the summer — 3,500 W for 1.5 hours a day at 13.41¢/kWh.
· Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A (July 2026 data) · next EIA update ~Oct 23
On this page: CalculatorTableHow we calculatedSources
Jump to calculator ↓Slider nudges the North Dakota rate; the URL keeps it.
- Per hour
- $0.47 at 13.41¢/kWh
- Per summer
- $65 (92 days)
- Hours per day
- 1.5 (NOAA state cooling degree-days-scaled)
- Degree-days used
- 380 (NOAA CPC state, population-weighted)
- Wattage
- 3,500 W (typical 2,000–5,000)
- North Dakota rate
- 13.41¢ (July 2026)
- Rank of 20 cold states
- 18 (18th most expensive)
Why this number
North Dakota runs central air conditioner less than the national baseline in June–August — 1.5 hours a day on the NOAA state degree-day scaling used here, against 3.8 nationally — and pays 13.41¢/kWh for it. Those two numbers, times 3,500 W, are the whole $65.
Central air conditioner cost in North Dakota by hours per day — per day / per summer
| Hours per day | North Dakota avg 13.41¢ | Northern States Power 12.1¢ | Montana-Dakota Utiliti 11.7¢ | Cass County Elec Coop 12.4¢ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 h | $0.47 / $43 | $0.42 / $39 | $0.41 / $38 | $0.43 / $40 |
| 2 h | $0.94 / $86 | $0.85 / $78 | $0.82 / $75 | $0.87 / $80 |
| 4 h | $1.88 / $173 | $1.69 / $156 | $1.64 / $151 | $1.74 / $160 |
| 6 h | $2.82 / $259 | $2.54 / $234 | $2.46 / $226 | $2.60 / $240 |
| 8 h | $3.75 / $345 | $3.39 / $312 | $3.28 / $301 | $3.47 / $319 |
| 12 h | $5.63 / $518 | $5.08 / $468 | $4.91 / $452 | $5.21 / $479 |
What North Dakota’s utilities charge for it
| Utility | Residential customers | ¢/kWh (EIA-861 2024) | Per hour | Per summer at 1.5 h/day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern States Power Co - Minnesota | 82,987 | 12.1¢ | $0.42 | $59 |
| Montana-Dakota Utilities Co | 79,354 | 11.7¢ | $0.41 | $57 |
| Cass County Elec Coop Inc | 51,968 | 12.4¢ | $0.43 | $60 |
What the numbers say about central air conditioner in North Dakota
North Dakota logged 380 population-weighted cooling degree-days over June–August (NOAA CPC state series), 40% of the CONUS figure of 958, which is why this page runs central air conditioner 1.5 hours a day against the national 3.8 — 2.3 hours less. At North Dakota’s July 2026 rate of 13.41¢/kWh that makes it the 18th most expensive of the 20 cold states for central air conditioner: $65 for the 92-day summer, against Montana’s $47 and Alaska’s $228. Northern States Power Co - Minnesota, North Dakota’s largest utility with 82,987 residential customers, averages 12.1¢ — $59 for the same hours — while Cass County Elec Coop Inc at 12.4¢ comes to $60, a $1 spread on identical use. North Dakota’s July 2026 rate of 13.41¢ sets the $0.47 per hour; its winter average of 11.71¢ is 1.70¢ lower, a difference that matters for heating loads but not for central air conditioner use in June–August.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to run central air conditioner per hour in North Dakota?
$0.47 an hour for a 3,500 W unit at North Dakota’s July 2026 average of 13.41¢/kWh (3,500 ÷ 1,000 × 0.1341); at Northern States Power Co - Minnesota’s 12.1¢ it is $0.42.
How much does central air conditioner cost for the whole summer in North Dakota?
About $65: 3,500 W × 1.5 hours a day × 92 days (June–August) × 13.41¢. The hours are the national 3.8 h/day scaled by NOAA CPC state population-weighted CDD, June–August 2026 (380 against the CONUS 958); enter your own hours above for your own figure.
Is central air conditioner expensive to run in North Dakota compared with other cold states?
North Dakota is the 18th most expensive of the 20 cold states on this site at $65 a summer; the range runs from Montana ($47) to Alaska ($228), driven almost entirely by the electricity rate.
How we calculated this
Worked for central air conditioner in North Dakota: 3,500 W ÷ 1,000 × 0.1341 $/kWh = $0.47 per hour; hours per day = 3.8 × (380 ÷ 958) = 1.5; 3,500 ÷ 1,000 × 1.5 × 92 × 0.1341 = $65 for the summer. Rate: EIA Electric Power Monthly 5.6.A (July 2026); degree-days: NOAA CPC state population-weighted CDD, June–August 2026, against the CONUS total; utility prices: EIA-861 2024.Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) electricity rates · DSIRE incentive records · public IRS/OBBBA guidance. Figures are modeled estimates, not quotes or tax advice. See our methodology.
Where to go next
- Cost to run central air conditioner (national page) — The 3,500 W and 3.8 h/day baseline this page scales for North Dakota, with the sourced benchmark.
- Cost to heat a home in North Dakota — Gas, propane, oil, heat pump and resistance per MMBtu at North Dakota’s own prices — the whole-house picture.
- Find your electricity rate by ZIP — North Dakota averages 13.41¢ but its utilities span the table above — send your own rate into this calculator.
- Solar panel cost in North Dakota — North Dakota’s 13.41¢ July rate, utilities and rate history on the solar side.
- Cost to run space heater in North Dakota — Same North Dakota rates and degree-days applied to a 1,500 W space heater.
- Cost to run heat pump in North Dakota — Same North Dakota rates and degree-days applied to a 3,500 W heat pump.
- Cost to run central air conditioner in Vermont — $68 for the summer at 23.75¢ and 0.9 h/day — the nearest cold-state comparison.
- Cost to run central air conditioner in Wyoming — $61 for the summer at 14.36¢ and 1.3 h/day — the nearest cold-state comparison.