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A standby generator kicks on automatically when the power fails, keeping your whole home running without you lifting a finger. Installed, expect $7,000 to $15,000, averaging around $11,000, with the unit itself making up roughly half the bill.
What you’re paying for
You’re buying the generator, an automatic transfer switch that safely swaps your home to backup power, professional installation, a fuel hookup (natural gas or propane), a concrete pad, and permits. Labor and the fuel connection are where quotes diverge most — a long run from the gas meter or panel adds real cost.
Cost by size
Sizing is the biggest price lever. A small unit that backs up essential circuits is far cheaper than one that runs the entire home including central AC. The table below shows typical installed pricing by generator capacity.
Sizing it right
An undersized generator won’t run everything you expect; an oversized one wastes money and burns more fuel. Most whole-home setups land in the 18–26 kW range. Have an electrician calculate your actual load — including AC startup surge — rather than guessing from square footage.
Generator vs. battery
This is the real decision for backup power. A generator is cheaper upfront and runs as long as it has fuel, which matters for multi-day outages — but it’s noisy, needs annual maintenance, and produces emissions. A home battery is silent, maintenance-light, and recharges from solar, but costs more and has limited runtime. Frequent short outages favor a battery; long rural outages favor a generator.
How to save on a generator
- Back up essentials only with a smaller unit if whole-home isn’t critical.
- Choose natural gas if you have a line — no tank to buy or fill.
- Place the unit near the panel and gas to cut labor.
- Get multiple quotes — installation costs vary widely by region.
| Item | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Generator unit | $3,000 – $6,000 | – |
| Automatic transfer switch | $400 – $1,200 | – |
| Installation labor | $3,000 – $5,000 | More for long runs or 20 kW+ systems |
| Gas / propane hookup | $500 – $2,000 | – |
| Concrete pad & permits | $300 – $1,300 | When an electrical project needs a permit on Permit Notebook, our sister site |
| Option | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 10–14 kW (essential circuits) | $6,000 – $11,000 | – |
| 18–22 kW (most homes) | $9,000 – $15,000 | Runs AC + essentials |
| 24–26 kW (large home) | $12,000 – $18,000 | – |
| 26 kW+ (large home, full load) | $15,000 – $22,000 | – |
What affects the price
- Size (kW) Powering the whole home needs more capacity than running essentials; bigger units cost more.
- Fuel type Natural gas ties into your line; propane needs a tank; both affect the hookup cost.
- Distance from panel & gas Longer electrical and gas runs add labor and materials.
- Transfer switch type Whole-home automatic switches cost more than essential-circuit switches.
- Region & permitting Local labor rates and permit requirements vary and affect the total.
Whole house generator cost by state
Where you live can change the price as much as the options you pick. Labor is a big part of the bill, and construction workers are paid more in some states than others. A typical whole house generator job costs about $8,200 to $17,600 in Hawaii (17% above the U.S. average). In Arkansas, it costs about $6,000 to $12,800 (15% below the U.S. average).
See the typical cost in all 50 states and D.C.
| State | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $6,100 – $13,100 |
| Alaska | $8,000 – $17,300 |
| Arizona | $6,700 – $14,300 |
| Arkansas | $6,000 – $12,800 |
| California | $7,800 – $16,800 |
| Colorado | $7,000 – $15,000 |
| Connecticut | $7,500 – $16,100 |
| Delaware | $6,900 – $14,700 |
| District of Columbia | $7,600 – $16,200 |
| Florida | $6,400 – $13,700 |
| Georgia | $6,400 – $13,800 |
| Hawaii | $8,200 – $17,600 |
| Idaho | $6,600 – $14,100 |
| Illinois | $8,000 – $17,300 |
| Indiana | $7,100 – $15,200 |
| Iowa | $6,800 – $14,600 |
| Kansas | $6,700 – $14,300 |
| Kentucky | $6,500 – $14,000 |
| Louisiana | $6,300 – $13,500 |
| Maine | $6,900 – $14,700 |
| Maryland | $7,000 – $15,000 |
| Massachusetts | $8,000 – $17,300 |
| Michigan | $7,000 – $15,000 |
| Minnesota | $7,600 – $16,400 |
| Mississippi | $6,100 – $13,100 |
| Missouri | $7,100 – $15,300 |
| Montana | $6,900 – $14,700 |
| Nebraska | $6,600 – $14,100 |
| Nevada | $7,200 – $15,500 |
| New Hampshire | $6,900 – $14,900 |
| New Jersey | $8,000 – $17,100 |
| New Mexico | $6,400 – $13,800 |
| New York | $7,700 – $16,500 |
| North Carolina | $6,300 – $13,500 |
| North Dakota | $7,100 – $15,200 |
| Ohio | $7,000 – $15,000 |
| Oklahoma | $6,400 – $13,700 |
| Oregon | $7,700 – $16,500 |
| Pennsylvania | $7,100 – $15,200 |
| Rhode Island | $7,300 – $15,600 |
| South Carolina | $6,400 – $13,700 |
| South Dakota | $6,300 – $13,500 |
| Tennessee | $6,400 – $13,800 |
| Texas | $6,400 – $13,700 |
| Utah | $6,600 – $14,100 |
| Vermont | $6,800 – $14,600 |
| Virginia | $6,700 – $14,300 |
| Washington | $8,100 – $17,400 |
| West Virginia | $6,700 – $14,300 |
| Wisconsin | $7,300 – $15,600 |
| Wyoming | $6,900 – $14,900 |
These are numbers to plan with, not quotes. Each one is this guide's U.S. range, adjusted for what construction workers earn in that state. See every state cost guide or how we estimate.
Common questions
- What size generator do I need for my whole house?
- Most homes need an 18–26 kW standby unit to run central AC, the kitchen, and essentials at once. An electrician sizes it to your actual load — bigger isn't always better.
- Is a standby generator cheaper than a battery?
- Usually yes upfront — $7,000–$15,000 installed versus $12,000–$20,000 for one home battery. Generators need fuel and maintenance; batteries are silent and pair with solar.
- How much does just the generator unit cost?
- The unit alone runs about $3,000–$6,000; the rest of the cost is the transfer switch, labor, fuel hookup, pad, and permits.
- Natural gas or propane — which is better?
- Natural gas is most convenient if you have a line (no tank, unlimited runtime). Propane is the option where there's no gas line, but you'll buy and refill a tank.
- Do standby generators need maintenance?
- Yes — they self-test weekly and need an annual service (oil, filters, battery) plus fuel. Budget $150–$400 a year for maintenance.
- How long can a whole house generator run?
- On natural gas, effectively indefinitely. On propane, runtime depends on tank size — a 500-gallon tank can power a home for a week or more depending on load.
- How long does installation take?
- Once permits are in hand, installation is typically 1–2 days for the electrical and gas hookup, plus the concrete pad cure time.
How we estimate: These are typical U.S. prices for materials and for hiring a pro to install them. We checked them against the 2026 sources listed below (see how we get our numbers). Your price depends on where you live, the size of the job and the materials you pick. Get two or three written bids before you choose a contractor.
Sources
We checked the prices on this page against 2026 numbers from these sources: