Heating cost comparison
What it costs to heat your home each year with each type of system, at your utility's electricity rate and your state's current fuel prices.
Heat pump vs. gas furnace by state
Cost per million BTU of heat delivered: heat pump at COP 2.6 with the state's average residential electricity rate, 95% gas furnace and 95% propane furnace at current EIA prices.
| State | Electricity | Heat pump | Gas furnace | Propane | Electric resistance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | 13.43¢ | $15.14 | $27.45 | $27.37 | $39.36 |
| Georgia | 15.12¢ | $17.04 | $28.56 | $36.02 | $44.31 |
| Oklahoma | 13.70¢ | $15.44 | $25.82 | $26.74 | $40.15 |
| Florida | 15.39¢ | $17.35 | $27.38 | $55.74 | $45.10 |
| North Carolina | 14.77¢ | $16.65 | $26.11 | $41.12 | $43.29 |
| Louisiana | 12.99¢ | $14.64 | $22.87 | $30.35 | $38.07 |
| Kentucky | 13.92¢ | $15.69 | $24.17 | $32.10 | $40.80 |
| Texas | 15.96¢ | $17.99 | $27.58 | $35.66 | $46.77 |
| Missouri | 13.95¢ | $15.72 | $22.89 | $24.49 | $40.88 |
| Mississippi | 14.77¢ | $16.65 | $23.44 | $35.25 | $43.29 |
| South Carolina | 15.64¢ | $17.63 | $23.87 | $30.35 | $45.84 |
| Washington | 14.12¢ | $15.92 | $20.81 | $30.35 | $41.38 |
| Arizona | 15.40¢ | $17.36 | $22.35 | $30.35 | $45.13 |
| West Virginia | 15.48¢ | $17.45 | $21.97 | $30.35 | $45.37 |
| Kansas | 15.09¢ | $17.01 | $21.32 | $23.22 | $44.22 |
| Hawaii | 43.51¢ | $49.04 | $60.54 | $30.35 | $127.51 |
| Ohio | 18.25¢ | $20.57 | $24.81 | $30.08 | $53.49 |
| Delaware | 17.79¢ | $20.05 | $23.92 | $42.90 | $52.14 |
| Virginia | 16.48¢ | $18.58 | $22.07 | $42.71 | $48.30 |
| Nebraska | 12.86¢ | $14.50 | $16.96 | $19.76 | $37.69 |
| Alabama | 16.44¢ | $18.53 | $21.49 | $40.67 | $48.18 |
| Oregon | 15.50¢ | $17.47 | $19.41 | $30.35 | $45.43 |
| Wyoming | 14.01¢ | $15.79 | $17.40 | $30.35 | $41.06 |
| Tennessee | 13.56¢ | $15.28 | $16.83 | $37.09 | $39.74 |
| North Dakota | 12.32¢ | $13.89 | $14.93 | $18.95 | $36.11 |
| Iowa | 14.13¢ | $15.93 | $15.54 | $19.18 | $41.41 |
| Maryland | 21.03¢ | $23.70 | $20.61 | $44.45 | $61.63 |
| Pennsylvania | 20.70¢ | $23.33 | $20.23 | $36.73 | $60.67 |
| Maine | 29.31¢ | $33.04 | $28.61 | $40.68 | $85.90 |
| Indiana | 16.94¢ | $19.09 | $16.47 | $28.65 | $49.65 |
| Vermont | 23.80¢ | $26.83 | $22.77 | $42.46 | $69.75 |
| Nevada | 13.36¢ | $15.06 | $12.75 | $30.35 | $39.15 |
| Massachusetts | 30.43¢ | $34.30 | $27.80 | $40.26 | $89.18 |
| South Dakota | 14.20¢ | $16.01 | $12.85 | $20.98 | $41.62 |
| District of Columbia | 24.20¢ | $27.28 | $21.80 | $30.35 | $70.92 |
| New Hampshire | 26.67¢ | $30.06 | $23.04 | $43.87 | $78.16 |
| Utah | 13.32¢ | $15.01 | $11.48 | $26.38 | $39.04 |
| Illinois | 18.79¢ | $21.18 | $15.55 | $21.90 | $55.07 |
| Minnesota | 16.22¢ | $18.28 | $12.95 | $22.59 | $47.54 |
| New York | 28.39¢ | $32.00 | $22.58 | $42.37 | $83.20 |
| Colorado | 16.58¢ | $18.69 | $13.18 | $26.02 | $48.59 |
| New Mexico | 15.32¢ | $17.27 | $12.15 | $30.35 | $44.90 |
| Idaho | 12.65¢ | $14.26 | $9.72 | $30.20 | $37.07 |
| Rhode Island | 29.27¢ | $32.99 | $22.23 | $47.09 | $85.78 |
| Montana | 13.84¢ | $15.60 | $10.51 | $24.63 | $40.56 |
| Connecticut | 27.99¢ | $31.55 | $21.04 | $48.70 | $82.03 |
| Wisconsin | 18.74¢ | $21.12 | $13.64 | $21.73 | $54.92 |
| New Jersey | 23.78¢ | $26.80 | $16.32 | $45.88 | $69.69 |
| California | 32.99¢ | $37.19 | $22.26 | $30.35 | $96.68 |
| Michigan | 21.05¢ | $23.73 | $14.20 | $27.52 | $61.69 |
| Alaska | 26.85¢ | $30.27 | $14.78 | $30.35 | $78.69 |
Frequently asked questions
Is a heat pump cheaper to run than a gas furnace?
Often, but not everywhere. A heat pump with a seasonal COP of 2.6 delivers heat for about $20.28 per million BTU at the U.S. average electricity price. A 95% gas furnace at the U.S. average gas price costs about $19.69. Heat pumps win easily against propane, oil and electric resistance heat, and win against gas where electricity is cheap or gas is expensive.
What is COP and HSPF?
COP (coefficient of performance) is heat out divided by electricity in. A COP of 3 means 3 kWh of heat per 1 kWh of electricity. HSPF2 is the U.S. seasonal rating, in BTU per watt-hour. Divide by 3.412 and multiply by about 1.15 to get an approximate seasonal COP. Cold-climate heat pumps keep a COP near 2 even at 5°F.
How much heat does my home need?
The best source is your past bills: annual therms × 100,000 × furnace efficiency gives the BTUs your home used. Without bills, a typical 1,800 sq ft home needs about 30–45 million BTU a year in mixed climates and 60–90 million in cold ones.