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Single person in an apartment vs Family of four in a house: Electricity Use Compared in the US (2026)
A family of four uses roughly two to three times the electricity of a single person, not four times. The fridge, router, lighting and standby loads are shared, so each extra person adds less than the first. Per head, the single person is the most expensive household there is.
In the US, single person in an apartment uses about 7,184 kWh a year ($107.76 a month) and family of four in a house about 13,072 kWh ($196.08 a month). That is 1.8× as much, or $88.32 more per month. Per person: 7,184 kWh vs 3,268 kWh a year.
Sources: EIA Residential Energy Consumption Survey 2020, Table CE2.1, average kWh per household using electricity: 1-person household. EIA Residential Energy Consumption Survey 2020, Table CE2.1, average kWh per household using electricity: 4-person household. Priced at $0.18 per kWh (EIA Electric Power Monthly, 2026-06).
Where the difference comes from
| Category | Single person in an apartment | Family of four in a house | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heating & cooling | 2,866 kWh | 5,216 kWh | +2,350 |
| Water heating | 862 kWh | 1,569 kWh | +707 |
| Refrigeration & freezing | 697 kWh | 1,268 kWh | +571 |
| Cooking | 201 kWh | 366 kWh | +165 |
| Washing, drying & dishwashing | 402 kWh | 732 kWh | +330 |
| TV, computing & network | 417 kWh | 758 kWh | +341 |
| Lighting | 445 kWh | 810 kWh | +365 |
| Other appliances | 1,293 kWh | 2,353 kWh | +1,060 |
- Laundry and the dishwasher are the items a family runs daily that a single person runs weekly.
- A house adds a freezer, a dryer and outdoor lighting that a flat does not have.
- Per person, the family pays about half what the single person pays.
Only in the family of four in a house
- Chest Freezer 507 kWh/yr
- Clothes Dryer 418 kWh/yr
- Desktop Computer 227 kWh/yr
- Outdoor Security Floodlight 219 kWh/yr
- Dishwasher 209 kWh/yr
- Electric Oven 121 kWh/yr
- Gaming Console (PS5, Xbox) 102 kWh/yr
- Computer Monitor 45 kWh/yr
Only in the single person in an apartment
- None
The same comparison in other countries
| Country | Single person in an apartment | Family of four in a house | Ratio | Extra per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States (average) | 7,184 | 13,072 | 1.8× | $88.32 |
| United Kingdom | 1,600 | 3,800 | 2.4× | £47.67 |
| Germany | 1,200 | 3,800 | 3.2× | €80.17 |
| France | 1,905 | 6,034 | 3.2× | €68.82 |
| Australia | 3,109 | 7,311 | 2.4× | A$122.56 |
| Canada (average) | 6,583 | 12,694 | 1.9× | C$71.30 |