Winter Heating Cost by State

What it costs to heat a typical home for a whole winter in every state, with five common systems side by side. Heating oil and propane use EIA's weekly state prices for the week of Oct 19, 2026; natural gas and electricity use each state's latest EIA averages.

Formulas shown on this page · Last reviewed October 2026

Winter Heating Cost by State
Natural gas (cheapest)$1,314
Heat pump$1,775
Propane$2,296
Heating oil$2,682
Electric resistance$4,614

Winter heating cost by state and fuel

Estimated cost for one heating season. The cheapest option in each state is highlighted. Click a cost to see that fuel's prices in the state. Heating oil and propane are shown only for the 38 states EIA surveys each week.

StateClimateNatural gasHeat pumpPropaneHeating oilElectric resistance
AlabamaMixed-humid$667$692$1,624–$1,798
AlaskaCold$679$1,678––$4,363
ArizonaDry$305$280––$728
ArkansasMixed-humid$731$604$1,180–$1,571
CaliforniaDry$361$612––$1,592
ColoradoCold$585$990$1,482–$2,573
ConnecticutCold$882$1,406$2,651$2,699$3,656
DelawareMixed-humid$606$779$1,707$2,044$2,026
District of ColumbiaMixed-humid$633$1,063––$2,764
FloridaHot-humid$457$300$1,059–$779
GeorgiaMixed-humid$775$686$1,460–$1,784
HawaiiHot-humid$940$957––$2,487
IdahoCold$403$799$1,622–$2,078
IllinoisCold$590$1,119$1,219–$2,909
IndianaCold$602$974$1,605$2,655$2,532
IowaCold$556$931$1,069$2,552$2,420
KansasMixed-humid$562$644$943–$1,674
KentuckyMixed-humid$540$582$1,293$1,872$1,514
LouisianaHot-humid$312$254––$659
MaineCold$993$1,887$2,327$2,643$4,905
MarylandMixed-humid$613$903$1,727$2,024$2,347
MassachusettsCold$1,314$1,775$2,296$2,682$4,614
MichiganCold$572$1,342$1,527$2,548$3,488
MinnesotaCold$576$1,016$1,264$2,595$2,641
MississippiMixed-humid$632$613$1,426–$1,594
MissouriMixed-humid$567$678$991–$1,764
MontanaCold$471$873$1,360–$2,269
NebraskaCold$598$802$1,119$2,469$2,085
NevadaDry$216$233––$605
New HampshireCold$975$1,548$2,411$2,646$4,026
New JerseyMixed-humid$540$1,062$1,852$2,028$2,762
New MexicoDry$161$293––$762
New YorkCold$921$1,740$2,338$2,815$4,525
North CarolinaMixed-humid$624$639$1,642$1,852$1,662
North DakotaCold$498$781$1,036–$2,029
OhioCold$726$1,132$1,661$2,645$2,944
OklahomaMixed-humid$546$605$1,069–$1,573
OregonMarine$436$463––$1,203
PennsylvaniaCold$788$1,264$1,984$2,661$3,287
Rhode IslandCold$1,135$1,647$2,614$2,798$4,281
South CarolinaMixed-humid$642$652––$1,696
South DakotaCold$517$895$1,173–$2,326
TennesseeMixed-humid$450$578$1,463–$1,503
TexasHot-humid$349$316$674–$823
UtahCold$534$764$1,461–$1,986
VermontCold$943$1,382$2,435$2,674$3,594
VirginiaMixed-humid$638$740$1,709$1,908$1,924
WashingtonMarine$460$426––$1,108
West VirginiaMixed-humid$524$665––$1,730
WisconsinCold$563$1,109$1,217$2,538$2,885
WyomingCold$615$836––$2,173

Prices: heating oil and propane – EIA weekly residential prices, week of Oct 19, 2026 (before taxes); electricity – EIA state residential average, July 2026; natural gas – EIA state residential average, latest full year available (2025 or earlier).

US average: a typical cold-climate home

SystemCost per million BTU of heatWinter cost
Natural gas$15.57$804
Heat pump$20.64$1,066
Propane$32.67$1,687
Heating oil$52.58$2,715
Electric resistance$53.66$2,771

Assumptions

  • Heat needed: EIA's 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey average natural gas space-heating use per gas-heated home in each climate region, times an assumed 85% furnace efficiency to get delivered heat: Cold 51.6 MMBtu; Mixed-humid 37.4 MMBtu; Marine 25.7 MMBtu; Hot-humid 17.7 MMBtu; Dry 16.2 MMBtu.
  • Climate per state: the Building America climate region where most of the state's people live (our assignment). Many states span two regions – use the calculator to switch.
  • Efficiencies: natural gas furnace 95% AFUE, heating oil 85%, propane 90%, heat pump seasonal COP 2.6 (HSPF2 9), electric resistance COP 1. In very cold weather a standard heat pump runs below its seasonal COP.
  • Energy content: heating oil 138,500 BTU/gal, propane 91,452 BTU/gal, natural gas 1,037 BTU per cubic foot (10.37 therms per Mcf), electricity 3,412 BTU/kWh (EIA).
  • Prices: state averages, before oil and propane taxes and delivery fees. The electricity month is a summer month, and the gas price is a yearly average including fixed charges, so winter bills can differ.

winter cost = heat needed (MMBtu) × cost per MMBtu of heat
cost per MMBtu = price ÷ (BTU per unit × efficiency) × 1,000,000

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Sources

Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest way to heat a home this winter?

At current state-average prices, natural gas is cheapest in 43 states, heat pump is cheapest in 8 states (counting DC). For a typical cold-climate home at US averages: natural gas $804, heat pump $1,066, propane $1,687, heating oil $2,715, electric resistance $2,771.

How much does it cost to heat a house in Massachusetts this winter?

For a typical cold-climate home (about 52 million BTU of delivered heat), the estimates are natural gas $1,314, heat pump $1,775, propane $2,296, heating oil $2,682, electric resistance $4,614. Heating oil and propane use EIA's Massachusetts averages for the week of Oct 19, 2026.

Is heating oil or propane cheaper?

Per unit of heat, it depends on the state's prices. In Pennsylvania this week, a typical cold-climate home works out to $2,661 with heating oil vs $1,984 with propane. Propane has less energy per gallon (91,452 vs 138,500 BTU), so compare cost per BTU, not price per gallon.

Why is my real heating bill different?

These are estimates for an average household in each climate region, not your house. Insulation, house size, thermostat setting, the age of your furnace or heat pump, delivery fees and taxes all change the total. Use last winter’s fuel use in the heat pump vs furnace calculator for a closer number.

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