Frequently Asked Questions
How is electricity used in U.S. homes?
| Estimated U.S. residential sector electricity consumption by end use, 2014 | |||
| End use | Quadrillion Btu | Billion kilowatthours | Share of total |
| Space cooling | 0.65 | 190 | 13% |
| Lighting | 0.51 | 149 | 11% |
| Water heating | 0.45 | 132 | 9% |
| Space heating | 0.43 | 125 | 9% |
| Refrigeration | 0.36 | 106 | 8% |
| Televisions and related equipment1 | 0.30 | 88 | 6% |
| Clothes dryers | 0.20 | 60 | 4% |
| Furnace fans and boiler circulation pumps | 0.14 | 42 | 3% |
| Computers and related equipment2 | 0.11 | 34 | 2% |
| Cooking | 0.11 | 31 | 2% |
| Dishwashers3 | 0.09 | 28 | 2% |
| Freezers | 0.08 | 22 | 2% |
| Clothes washers3 | 0.03 | 8 | 1% |
| Other uses4 | 1.34 | 393 | 28% |
| Total consumption | 4.80 | 1,407 | |
1 Includes televisions, set-top boxes, home theater systems, DVD players, and video game consoles.
2 Includes desktop and laptop computers, monitors, and networking equipment.
3 Does not include water heating.
4 Includes small electric devices, heating elements, exterior lights, outdoor grills, pool and spa heaters, backup electricity generators, and motors not listed above. Does not include electric vehicle charging.
Learn more:
Annual Energy Outlook 2016, Table 4: Residential sector key indicators and consumption
Total U.S. electricity sales projected to grow slowly as electricity intensity declines
Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS)
Last updated: June 16, 2016
Other FAQs about Electricity
- Can electric utility customers choose their electricity supplier?
- Does EIA have county-level energy production data?
- Does EIA have data on each power plant in the United States?
- Does EIA have data on the costs for electricity transmission and distribution?
- Does EIA have energy consumption and price data for cities, counties, or by zip code?
- Does EIA have maps or information on the location of electric power plants and transmission lines in the United States?
- Does EIA have projections for energy production, consumption, and prices for individual states?
- Does EIA publish data on peak or hourly electricity generation, demand, and prices?
- Does EIA publish electric utility rate, tariff, and demand charge data?
- Does EIA publish electricity consumption and price data by state?
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- How much does it cost to build different types of power plants in the United States?
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- What is U.S. electricity generation by energy source?
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- What types and amounts of energy are produced in each state?