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Student house share vs Family of four in a house: Electricity Use Compared in the US (2026)
Five students sharing a flat use about as much electricity as a family of four in a house, despite having no dryer, no dishwasher and no garage. Five people cooking separately, five laptops, and several bedroom fridges make up for the missing big appliances. Per person the students are cheaper, but per home they are not.
In the US, student house share uses about 14,336 kWh a year ($215.04 a month) and family of four in a house about 13,072 kWh ($196.08 a month). That is 0.9× as much, or $-18.960 more per month. Per person: 2,867 kWh vs 3,268 kWh a year.
Sources: EIA Residential Energy Consumption Survey 2020, Table CE2.1, average kWh per household using electricity: 5-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 | Student house share | Family of four in a house | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heating & cooling | 5,720 kWh | 5,216 kWh | -504 |
| Water heating | 1,720 kWh | 1,569 kWh | -151 |
| Refrigeration & freezing | 1,391 kWh | 1,268 kWh | -123 |
| Cooking | 401 kWh | 366 kWh | -35 |
| Washing, drying & dishwashing | 803 kWh | 732 kWh | -71 |
| TV, computing & network | 831 kWh | 758 kWh | -73 |
| Lighting | 889 kWh | 810 kWh | -79 |
| Other appliances | 2,580 kWh | 2,353 kWh | -227 |
- Five separate cooking sessions a day cost more than one family meal.
- Bedroom mini fridges are inefficient for their size and add up quickly.
- The family's dryer and dishwasher are roughly matched by the students' extra kettles, microwaves and screens.
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 Lawn Mower (Corded or Battery) 44 kWh/yr
- Air Fryer 36 kWh/yr
- Coffee Maker (Drip) 24 kWh/yr
Only in the student house share
- Mini Fridge 856 kWh/yr
The same comparison in other countries
| Country | Student house share | Family of four in a house | Ratio | Extra per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States (average) | 14,336 | 13,072 | 0.9× | $-18.960 |
| United Kingdom | 3,800 | 3,800 | 1.0× | £0.000 |
| Germany | 3,100 | 3,800 | 1.2× | €21.58 |
| France | 4,922 | 6,034 | 1.2× | €18.53 |
| Australia | 9,008 | 7,311 | 0.8× | A$-49.496 |
| Canada (average) | 7,417 | 12,694 | 1.7× | C$61.57 |