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How Much Does It Cost to Run a Well Pump? $0.17/Hour, $5.10/Month

Running a well pump at 1,000 watts for 1 hours a day costs about $0.17 a day and $5.10 a month at 17¢/kWh, the EIA 2025 annual US average (July 2026 monthly: 18.31¢) — roughly $62 a year.

1,000 W (750–2,000 W)Typical power draw
1 h/day, 30 days/monthAssumed use
1.00 kWhEnergy per day

· Source: EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A (July 2026 data) · next EIA update ~Oct 23

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a well pump: energy cost only (1,000 W ÷ 1,000 × hours × rate); fixed fees and taxes extra.
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## How much does it cost to run a well pump?

The same a well pump at 1 hours a day costs $3.60 a month at 12¢ and $13.50 at 45¢ — usage held constant, only the rate moving:

Table 1: How Much Does It Cost to Run a Well Pump? $0.17/Hour, $5.10/Month
Electricity rate Per hour Per day Per month Per year
12¢/kWh $0.120 $0.12 $3.60 $44
15¢/kWh $0.150 $0.15 $4.50 $55
17¢/kWh (US avg) $0.170 $0.17 $5.10 $62
20¢/kWh $0.200 $0.20 $6.00 $73
25¢/kWh $0.250 $0.25 $7.50 $91
30¢/kWh $0.300 $0.30 $9.00 $110
35¢/kWh $0.350 $0.35 $10.50 $128
45¢/kWh $0.450 $0.45 $13.50 $164
Typical power draw
1,000 W (750–2,000 W)
Assumed use
1 h/day, 30 days/month
Energy per day
1.00 kWh
Cost per day
$0.17
Cost per month
$5.10
Cost per year
$62

Why this number

Running a well pump at 1,000 watts for 1 hours a day costs about $0.17 a day and $5.10 a month at 17¢/kWh, the EIA 2025 annual US average (July 2026 monthly: 18.31¢) — roughly $62 a year. The formula for a well pump: 1,000 W ÷ 1,000 × hours × your rate per kWh. For a well pump your own rate changes the answer: at 12¢/kWh that month costs $3.60, at 45¢/kWh it costs $13.50.

A well pump rated at 1,000 watts, run 1 hours a day, costs about $0.17 a day — about $5.10 a month, or $62 a year — at the US average electricity rate of 17¢/kWh. That places it 22th of the 40 appliances tracked here, near the bottom. It is not where a high bill comes from, and switching it off will not rescue one.

What actually drives this number

Run-time is driven by household water use rather than any schedule, so the hours field is where your own estimate belongs. Short-cycling caused by a failing pressure tank is a common and expensive fault worth ruling out.

For a well pump the unit that matters is the kilowatt-hour, not the kilowatt : 1,000 W is only the rate of use, and 1 hours a day is what turns it into the 365 kWh a year you are actually billed for. On that yearly measure its nearest always-on neighbor is the refrigerator at about 394 kWh.

Where this number comes from

Putting Well pump in proportion

At 17¢/kWh, a well pump next to the rest of the bill:

For a well pump: this is an always-on load, and that is the whole story. Well pump’s wattage is unremarkable; the 24-hour duty cycle is what puts a well pump where it is. Reducing run-hours is usually impossible for a well pump, which makes efficiency at purchase time the only real decision. On this site’s own numbers, a well pump lands at #22 of 40 on the monthly-cost ranking, at about $5.10 for a typical month.

The formula, in full

The 1,000 W arithmetic for a well pump, step by step:

  1. Watts to kilowatts. 1,000 W ÷ 1,000 = 1.00 kW.
  2. Energy per day. 1.00 kW × 1 hours = 1.00 kWh.
  3. Cost per day. 1.00 kWh × $0.17 = $0.17.
  4. Cost per month. $0.17 × 30 days = $5.10.

For a well pump the two levers are run-hours (1 h/day here) and your rate; used this briefly, even 1,000 W costs little — which is why always-on loads dominate the rankings.

Other always-on loads: Refrigerator ($67/yr), Air purifier ($67/yr), Humidifier ($51/yr). Closest on annual cost: Treadmill ($62/yr), NAS (home server) ($53/yr). Across all other always-on loads here, the cheapest is Water softener at $0.37/mo and the priciest is Pool pump at $40.80/mo.

The a well pump table above runs a fixed rate ladder (12–45¢); the state quick-fill uses July 2026 averages from EIA Electric Power Monthly, Table 5.6.A .

Put a well pump ($5.10 a month) against everything else in the electricity cost calculator , check your state’s rate , or browse all 40 appliances ; year-round high bills: solar savings calculator .

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to run a well pump per hour?

About $0.170 an hour for a well pump at 17¢/kWh, the EIA 2025 annual US average (July 2026 monthly: 18.31¢), for a 1,000 W unit. The calculation is 1,000 ÷ 1,000 × 1 hour × $0.17 per kWh. At 30¢/kWh the same hour costs $0.300.

How much does a well pump add to my monthly bill?

Roughly $5.10 a month for a well pump at 1 hours a day, 30 days a month, 17¢/kWh. That is about $62 a year if you use it that much year-round. For a well pump, change the 1-hour default to your own use — run-time moves the total as much as the 1,000 W does.

How many watts does a well pump use?

Typically around 1,000 W, with real units ranging from about 750 to 2,000 W depending on size, model and setting. The nameplate on your own unit is the figure to trust — these are typical values for planning, not a measurement of your appliance.

Why is my actual bill higher than the a well pump figure?

$5.10 a month is the energy cost of a well pump alone; your bill adds fixed connection charges, delivery fees, taxes and every other load. Add the other appliances in the index to a well pump for the controllable part of the bill.

How we calculated this

Worked for a well pump: 1,000 W ÷ 1,000 × 1 h × $0.17 = $0.17 a day; × 30 days = $5.10 a month; × 12 months in use = $62 a year. 1,000 W and 1 h are the typical figures cited for a well pump; 17¢ is EIA’s 2025 annual US average.

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.

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