Heating cost by state: electricity or gas?
Which is cheaper to heat with, electricity or natural gas? It depends on the state. The break-even COP is how efficient a heat pump must be to match a 95% gas furnace on fuel cost: low means heat pumps win easily.
Map of break-even COP
In Florida a heat pump needs a COP of only 1.73; in Alaska it needs 5.81. Click a state.
- 1.7 to 2.6
- 2.6 to 3.1
- 3.1 to 3.7
- 3.7 to 4.3
- 4.3 to 5.8
All states
| State | Break-even COP | Gas furnace $/MMBtu | Heat pump $/MMBtu | Resistance $/MMBtu | Electricity ¢/kWh | Gas $/Mcf |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 1.73 | $26 | $15 | $45 | 15.24 | $25.48 |
| Arkansas | 1.92 | $20 | $13 | $38 | 12.84 | $19.25 |
| Georgia | 2.08 | $21 | $14 | $43 | 14.73 | $20.42 |
| Louisiana | 2.08 | $18 | $12 | $37 | 12.57 | $17.39 |
| Washington | 2.15 | $18 | $13 | $38 | 13.11 | $17.62 |
| Hawaii | 2.24 | $53 | $40 | $119 | 40.59 | $52.38 |
| Texas | 2.30 | $20 | $15 | $45 | 15.47 | $19.42 |
| Arizona | 2.38 | $19 | $15 | $45 | 15.32 | $18.58 |
| Mississippi | 2.43 | $17 | $14 | $41 | 14.03 | $16.65 |
| Missouri | 2.60 | $15 | $13 | $40 | 13.49 | $14.94 |
| Virginia | 2.62 | $17 | $15 | $45 | 15.28 | $16.79 |
| Oklahoma | 2.63 | $15 | $13 | $38 | 13.12 | $14.38 |
| Alabama | 2.64 | $18 | $16 | $47 | 16.10 | $17.56 |
| Oregon | 2.65 | $17 | $15 | $45 | 15.37 | $16.71 |
| Kentucky | 2.68 | $14 | $13 | $39 | 13.24 | $14.23 |
| Kansas | 2.84 | $15 | $14 | $43 | 14.56 | $14.81 |
| Nevada | 2.89 | $13 | $13 | $39 | 13.15 | $13.14 |
| Delaware | 3.09 | $16 | $17 | $50 | 17.13 | $15.97 |
| Nebraska | 3.12 | $12 | $12 | $36 | 12.34 | $11.40 |
| Tennessee | 3.21 | $12 | $13 | $39 | 13.18 | $11.84 |
| West Virginia | 3.22 | $14 | $15 | $45 | 15.41 | $13.80 |
| Wyoming | 3.29 | $12 | $13 | $39 | 13.38 | $11.74 |
| Massachusetts | 3.51 | $25 | $30 | $89 | 30.48 | $25.06 |
| Ohio | 3.53 | $14 | $17 | $50 | 16.96 | $13.85 |
| North Dakota | 3.59 | $10 | $12 | $35 | 11.81 | $9.50 |
| Vermont | 3.67 | $18 | $22 | $67 | 22.92 | $18.00 |
| Utah | 3.70 | $10 | $13 | $38 | 13.07 | $10.19 |
| Pennsylvania | 3.70 | $15 | $19 | $57 | 19.30 | $15.04 |
| Iowa | 3.73 | $11 | $13 | $40 | 13.72 | $10.61 |
| District of Columbia | 3.79 | $17 | $21 | $64 | 21.94 | $16.68 |
| New Hampshire | 3.81 | $19 | $24 | $72 | 24.56 | $18.61 |
| South Dakota | 3.91 | $10 | $13 | $39 | 13.38 | $9.86 |
| Indiana | 4.07 | $12 | $16 | $48 | 16.23 | $11.49 |
| Colorado | 4.09 | $11 | $15 | $46 | 15.85 | $11.17 |
| Minnesota | 4.16 | $11 | $15 | $46 | 15.82 | $10.98 |
| Montana | 4.16 | $9 | $13 | $38 | 12.98 | $8.99 |
| California | 4.26 | $22 | $32 | $95 | 32.54 | $22.01 |
| New York | 4.33 | $18 | $26 | $77 | 26.39 | $17.58 |
| New Mexico | 4.42 | $10 | $15 | $44 | 15.08 | $9.83 |
| Idaho | 4.43 | $8 | $12 | $35 | 11.82 | $7.69 |
| Illinois | 4.54 | $11 | $17 | $52 | 17.69 | $11.25 |
| New Jersey | 4.59 | $14 | $22 | $66 | 22.63 | $14.21 |
| Wisconsin | 4.88 | $11 | $18 | $53 | 18.16 | $10.74 |
| Michigan | 5.29 | $11 | $20 | $59 | 20.01 | $10.92 |
| Alaska | 5.81 | $13 | $25 | $76 | 26.09 | $12.96 |
States, 2025: EIA retail sales and natural gas prices.
CSVAssumptions
293.071 kWh and 1.036 Mcf of gas per MMBtu, gas furnace 95%, heat pump seasonal COP 3.0, EIA 2025 average residential prices. Propane and oil are left out because EIA publishes them for few states. Equipment, installation and fixed charges are not included.
Space heaters
For a single room, the cost of a plug-in electric heater is on the space heater cost page, by state and by wattage.