Water heating
Water Heater Installation Cost by State
Water heater replacement cost varies by state mainly through plumber labor rates; the unit itself prices similarly nationwide. Energy prices then decide the gas-vs-electric-vs-heat-pump operating question. Below: 51 state pages each calibrated to local labor and prices.
Quick answer: a standard 50-gallon tank runs about $1,200 in low-labor states to $3,000+ in California, Hawaii, and the Northeast, installed with permit. Heat pump water heaters run $2,200-$4,200 everywhere but cost far less to operate. Use the state pages for a calibrated band.
Lowest plumber labor
- Mississippi0.82×
- Arkansas0.83×
- Alabama0.85×
- Oklahoma0.86×
- Kentucky0.87×
Highest plumber labor
- Hawaii1.45×
- California1.36×
- New York1.34×
- Alaska1.28×
- District of Columbia1.28×
All 50 states + DC
Every state row pulls its own plumber labor multiplier and retail energy prices. Click through for a state-specific calculator and the gas-vs-electric operating comparison.
| State | Plumber labor | Electricity | Natural gas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 0.85× | 14.8¢/kWh | $1.32/therm |
| Alaska | 1.28× | 24.6¢/kWh | $1.45/therm |
| Arizona | 0.94× | 14.2¢/kWh | $1.40/therm |
| Arkansas | 0.83× | 12.6¢/kWh | $1.20/therm |
| California | 1.36× | 34.0¢/kWh | $2.20/therm |
| Colorado | 1.06× | 15.4¢/kWh | $0.85/therm |
| Connecticut | 1.18× | 32.8¢/kWh | $1.85/therm |
| Delaware | 1.08× | 16.4¢/kWh | $1.55/therm |
| District of Columbia | 1.28× | 17.5¢/kWh | $1.55/therm |
| Florida | 0.96× | 16.2¢/kWh | $1.95/therm |
| Georgia | 0.92× | 14.6¢/kWh | $1.55/therm |
| Hawaii | 1.45× | 42.5¢/kWh | $2.95/therm |
| Idaho | 0.92× | 11.5¢/kWh | $0.95/therm |
| Illinois | 1.14× | 17.4¢/kWh | $1.10/therm |
| Indiana | 0.94× | 15.8¢/kWh | $0.95/therm |
| Iowa | 0.93× | 13.6¢/kWh | $1.00/therm |
| Kansas | 0.91× | 14.4¢/kWh | $1.10/therm |
| Kentucky | 0.87× | 13.4¢/kWh | $1.20/therm |
| Louisiana | 0.90× | 12.8¢/kWh | $1.00/therm |
| Maine | 1.04× | 28.5¢/kWh | $1.85/therm |
| Maryland | 1.14× | 17.6¢/kWh | $1.55/therm |
| Massachusetts | 1.28× | 33.5¢/kWh | $2.10/therm |
| Michigan | 1.04× | 18.4¢/kWh | $1.10/therm |
| Minnesota | 1.08× | 15.0¢/kWh | $0.95/therm |
| Mississippi | 0.82× | 13.4¢/kWh | $1.30/therm |
| Missouri | 0.96× | 12.4¢/kWh | $1.30/therm |
| Montana | 0.94× | 12.6¢/kWh | $0.95/therm |
| Nebraska | 0.92× | 11.6¢/kWh | $0.95/therm |
| Nevada | 1.04× | 14.6¢/kWh | $1.45/therm |
| New Hampshire | 1.12× | 28.5¢/kWh | $1.95/therm |
| New Jersey | 1.26× | 18.6¢/kWh | $1.50/therm |
| New Mexico | 0.91× | 14.4¢/kWh | $1.10/therm |
| New York | 1.34× | 23.5¢/kWh | $1.65/therm |
| North Carolina | 0.93× | 13.4¢/kWh | $1.55/therm |
| North Dakota | 0.97× | 11.8¢/kWh | $0.95/therm |
| Ohio | 0.98× | 16.4¢/kWh | $1.05/therm |
| Oklahoma | 0.86× | 12.2¢/kWh | $1.20/therm |
| Oregon | 1.14× | 13.4¢/kWh | $1.45/therm |
| Pennsylvania | 1.08× | 18.6¢/kWh | $1.55/therm |
| Rhode Island | 1.16× | 29.5¢/kWh | $2.05/therm |
| South Carolina | 0.91× | 14.4¢/kWh | $1.65/therm |
| South Dakota | 0.91× | 12.4¢/kWh | $1.00/therm |
| Tennessee | 0.92× | 12.4¢/kWh | $1.30/therm |
| Texas | 0.98× | 14.4¢/kWh | $1.10/therm |
| Utah | 0.96× | 11.4¢/kWh | $0.95/therm |
| Vermont | 1.08× | 21.5¢/kWh | $1.85/therm |
| Virginia | 1.04× | 14.4¢/kWh | $1.50/therm |
| Washington | 1.18× | 11.0¢/kWh | $1.40/therm |
| West Virginia | 0.88× | 14.4¢/kWh | $1.30/therm |
| Wisconsin | 1.02× | 16.4¢/kWh | $1.05/therm |
| Wyoming | 0.94× | 11.8¢/kWh | $0.95/therm |
Next steps
For a planning-range cost calibrated to your fuel, tank size, and efficiency tier, use the water heater installation calculator. Comparing technologies? See the side-by-side comparison or jump to the heat pump water heater state pages.