A predictive model for total electric energy (in kilowatt‐hours) used in household operation based upon information on ownership of selected electric home equipment and selected char acteristics of a sample of 195 families was developed. Participants met the following criteria: (1) at least two related persons living in the household, (2) no business operated from the premises (unless the electricity was metered separately), (3) all single family houses, (4) no part of the house rented, (5) no electric heat or central electric air conditioning. The dependent variable was the amount of electricity (kilowatt‐hours) used for the year June, 1975, through May, 1976. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was employed to determine the predictive equation Y1=−249 + 672X1+ 3463X2+ 925X3+ 25X4 where Y1= predicted electric energy usage, X1= number of electric major appliances owned, X2= water heater type (non‐ electric, electric), X3= household size (number of persons in the household), X4= employ ment (number of hours per week the home manager is employed outside the home), R2= 0. 54, p = 0. 0001. Other variables considered in the analysis but which did not explain at least 1 percent of the variation in the amount of electrical energy used were location (urban or rural), education of home manager, score for knowledge of electrical concepts and terminol ogy and number of small electric appliances owned.