What does it cost to run an AC in Massachusetts?
At Massachusetts’s average electricity rate of 30.5¢/kWh, a typical 12,000 BTU air conditioner (EER 11, run 8 hours a day) costs about 33.3¢ an hour, $80 a month, or roughly $399 across a 5-month cooling season. Run your own numbers below.
Independent estimate for guidance only. Your real cost depends on the unit, thermostat setting, insulation and how hot it gets.
Why AC costs what it does in Massachusetts
Massachusetts homes pay about 30.5¢/kWh, which is 12.1¢ above the US average. Because the electricity rate is a straight multiplier on every kilowatt-hour your air conditioner uses, that puts Massachusetts among the pricier states for cooling costs. The biggest levers you control are the hours you run it and the unit’s efficiency.
Massachusetts electricity price trend
Average residential rate, monthly, May 2023 – Apr 2026. Roughly flat over the period.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Electric Power Monthly · range 27.43–31.37¢/kWh
A worked example for Massachusetts
A 12,000 BTU unit at EER 11, run 8 hours a day:
Draws about 1091 watts. Change the size, efficiency and hours in the calculator above.
Offset it with solar
Cooling is one of the biggest summer power draws, so it’s exactly what rooftop solar is good at offsetting — the sun is strongest when your AC works hardest. See whether solar pays off in Massachusetts with our Massachusetts solar payback calculator, or check your EV charging cost too.