Heating Costs in the United States

Heating costs

Heating cost depends on the amount of heat a home needs, the efficiency of the equipment and the price of the energy used. That means two homes with the same furnace or heat pump can still have very different winter bills because of climate, insulation, air leakage, thermostat settings and operating time.

Compare scenarios: the U.S. Heating Running Cost Calculator covers electric resistance heat, a heat-pump COP scenario and a natural-gas furnace scenario.

Three common ways to think about heating energy

Electric resistance

A resistance heater converts electrical input into heat at the point of use. Cost can be estimated directly from kW, operating time and the electricity rate.

Heat pump

A heat pump moves heat. Its coefficient of performance (COP) compares useful heating output with electrical input at a given operating condition.

Natural-gas furnace

Fuel cost depends on gas consumption and the gas price. AFUE describes the share of incoming fuel heat converted to space heat rather than lost.

Whole-home heat demand

Weather, building envelope, infiltration, ducts and thermostat choices affect how much heating the equipment must provide.

Seasonal ratings are not constant hourly power

Heat-pump metrics such as HSPF2 describe seasonal efficiency, while COP describes performance at a particular operating condition. For a transparent hourly scenario, use a representative COP with a defined heating output; for a broader annual comparison, use tested or documented seasonal energy information when available.

Official U.S. references

Reviewed: 27 September 2026. Published child guides will appear automatically below this hub after launch.

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