LED Light Bulbs Dominate in U.S. Homes

LED light bulbs, which offer greater energy efficiency, lifespan, and cost efficiency than either traditional incandescent bulbs or CFL bulbs, are increasingly dominating the lighting in U.S. homes.

A recent U.S. Energy Information Administration survey found that 90% of U.S. homes reported using at least some LED bulbs, and that 37% of households used only LED bulbs. About 5% of households reported using only incandescent bulbs, and just 2% used CFL bulbs.

The share of households using mostly LED bulbs has risen rapidly in recent years, from just 4% in 2015 to about 63% in 2024. Over the same period, the share of households using mostly incandescent bulbs fell from 31% to 10% and CFL bulbs fell from 32% to 7%.

LED (light emitting diode) lighting is the most energy efficient form of energy, using 75-90% less energy, which saves money on electric bills. While LED bulbs are more expensive to buy, they have a lifespan of 40,000-50,000 hours, lasting at least 25 times as long as a traditional  incandescent bulb, making it less expensive over time.

LED bulbs work by passing an electrical current through a semiconductor, which illuminates the tiny light emitting diode and results in visible light. LED bulbs produce very little heat. Incandescent bulbs produce light by passing electric current through a thin tungsten filament, heating it to a high temperature until it glows, a process known as incandescence. The filament is enclosed in a vacuum or inert gas to prevent it from immediately burning out. CFL (compact fluorescent lamp) bulbs are small bent fluorescent tubes that fit into traditional light fixtures.

There are several factors behind the changes in lighting trends. The move toward more energy-efficient products has spurred LED use, as have the versatile options in LED lighting, including small under-the-counter strips and recessed ceiling fixtures. The federal government also adopted new, stricter Department of Energy energy efficiency standards for bulbs that effectively phased out incandescents in 2023 and CFLs by 2028, accelerating the trend to LED lighting. The Trump administration in early 2025 took action to rescind those standards, but production of incandescents had ceased and LED technology has become the market standard.

Widespread use of LED lighting has a large potential impact on energy savings in the United States. By 2035, the majority of lighting installations are anticipated to use LED technology, and energy savings from LED lighting could top 569 terawatt-hours annually by 2035, equal to the annual energy output of more than 92 1,000-megawatt power plants.