Electric Consumer

Editor: Katerine G., Editor & Data Researcher · Research & publishing: Electric Consumer Editorial Team · Data retrieved · Sources named on this page: EIA-861, EIA retail sales, EIA-860/923, Census ACS, NOAA · How we got these numbers · Report an error

Cost to heat a home in Arkansas: electricity vs gas

With electricity at 12.84 cents per kWh and natural gas at $19.25 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $19.56 from a gas furnace, $12.54 from a heat pump and $37.63 from resistance heating in Arkansas.

Your Arkansas heating cost

    Arkansas inputs: 12.84 ¢ per kWh, $19.25 per Mcf, fuel only; the need is an illustration. Method.

    The numbers

    Electricity 2025
    12.84 ¢/kWhrank 41 of 45 states by price
    Natural gas 2025
    $19.25 per Mcfrank 7 of 45 states by gas price
    Gas furnace
    $19.56 per MMBtu95% efficiency, rank 7 of 45
    Heat pump
    $12.54 per MMBturank 5 of 45 states, COP 3.0 assumed
    Electric resistance
    $37.63 per MMBtu1.9 times a furnace
    Break-even COP
    1.92a heat pump above it beats gas; rank 2 of 45
    Annual cost at 50 MMBtu
    $627 heat pumpfuel only
    Homes heated by electricity
    53%37% utility gas, 6% propane, 0% oil
    Electricity since 2024
    +4.2%
    Gas since 2024
    +19.6%
    2026 to date
    power +8.0%, gas +10.2%January to Jul against 2025
    Winter load
    +50% over spring and fallsummer +58%: a summer-peaking state
    Heating degree-days, normal year
    3,5471991 to 2020; 2025 had 3,047, rank 34 of 42 states by normal HDD
    Occupied homes in Arkansas (ACS 2023)
    1,189,160627,999 electric, 442,233 utility gas, 75,186 propane, 1,151 oil; 53 of 75 counties are over half electric
    Generating capacity in Arkansas
    18,791 MWEIA-860 2025; 3,083 MW under construction

    Arkansas charts

    One MMBtu of heat in Arkansas

    $19.56 gas, $12.54 heat pump, $37.63 resistance.

    $ per MMBtu

    • Electric resistance37.6
    • Heat pump, COP 3.012.5
    • Gas furnace, 95%19.6

    Arkansas, Cost of one MMBtu of heat in Arkansas: EIA retail sales and natural gas prices.

    CSV

    Prices since 2015, Arkansas

    Electricity $37.63 and gas $19 per MMBtu of energy in 2025.

    Fuel cost per MMBtu, Arkansas, 2015 to 2025: 11 rows
    YearArkansas electricityArkansas gas
    201528.811.2
    201629.110.8
    201730.112.5
    201828.811.4
    201928.710.7
    202030.511.9
    202133.012.1
    202235.316.4
    202335.917.2
    202436.115.5
    202537.618.6

    11 rows from EIA retail sales and natural gas prices.

    CSV

    How Arkansas heats

    53% electric.

    % of homes

    • Electricity52.8
    • Utility gas37.2
    • Propane6.3
    • Fuel oil0.1
    • Wood2.7

    Arkansas, How Arkansas homes are heated: Census ACS 2023, table B25040.

    CSV

    Break-even COP by month, Arkansas

    1.09 to 2.26 across the months shown.

    Break-even COP by month, Arkansas: 12 rows
    Month20252026
    Jan2.131.69
    Feb2.202.05
    Mar2.261.60
    Apr1.711.35
    May1.391.60
    Jun1.261.46
    Jul1.141.37
    Aug1.09No data
    Sep1.17No data
    Oct1.15No data
    Nov1.54No data
    Dec1.81No data

    12 rows from EIA retail sales.

    CSV

    How Arkansas homes heat

    Arkansas main fuelArkansas homesArkansas shareArkansas rank among states
    Electricity627,99952.8%13 of 45
    Utility gas442,23337.2%31 of 45
    Propane75,1866.3%18 of 45
    Fuel oil1,1510.1%41 of 45
    Wood32,1852.7%13 of 45

    Arkansas has 18,791 MW of operable generating capacity (EIA-860, 2025), largest in natural gas at 7,130 MW; 3,083 MW is under construction and 2,317 MW planned, which matters if heat pumps add winter load.

    7 Arkansas utilities report meters to EIA-861: 83.8% of 1,510,535 home meters are smart (AMI), 3 offer a home time-of-use rate and 114,718 homes are on dynamic pricing.

    Arkansas counties by electric heating

    Largest electric share first, then the smallest; 20 counties.

    Arkansas countyArkansas residentsArkansas electric heatArkansas utility gasArkansas propaneArkansas median income
    Greene County46,18276%12%9%$56,793
    Pope County63,83068%25%3%$54,606
    Yell County20,19567%20%7%$58,870
    Garland County100,06266%29%3%$55,409
    White County77,39565%26%7%$53,435
    Lonoke County74,74765%29%3%$71,449
    Conway County20,87264%22%7%$51,212
    Faulkner County126,00164%31%3%$65,071
    Logan County21,24059%30%4%$54,237
    Cleburne County25,04858%21%16%$55,979
    Sebastian County128,44851%46%1%$56,450
    Poinsett County22,74051%39%9%$47,188
    Carroll County28,52649%25%18%$55,187
    Crittenden County47,60949%46%4%$54,271
    Pulaski County398,94946%50%2%$60,385
    Washington County251,86346%47%4%$66,426
    Boone County37,89646%34%12%$54,195
    Benton County294,54143%47%6%$89,879
    Mississippi County39,74943%50%5%$53,428
    Ouachita County22,31741%48%6%$49,838

    Arkansas month by month

    MonthArkansas electricity ¢/kWhArkansas gas $/McfHeat pump $/MMBtuGas furnace $/MMBtuArkansas break-even COP
    Jul 202614.33$30.26$14.0$30.71.37
    Jun 202614.12$27.86$13.8$28.31.46
    May 202614.36$25.93$14.0$26.31.60
    Apr 202614.16$30.15$13.8$30.61.35
    Mar 202613.63$24.56$13.3$25.01.60
    Feb 202612.73$17.89$12.4$18.22.05
    Jan 202612.35$21.11$12.1$21.41.69
    Dec 202512.33$19.69$12.0$20.01.81
    Nov 202513.22$24.77$12.9$25.21.54
    Oct 202513.26$33.21$13.0$33.71.15
    Sep 202513.79$33.96$13.5$34.51.17
    Aug 202513.28$35.20$13.0$35.81.09
    Jul 202513.26$33.61$13.0$34.11.14
    Jun 202513.37$30.72$13.1$31.21.26
    May 202513.19$27.41$12.9$27.91.39
    Apr 202513.65$22.99$13.3$23.41.71
    Mar 202512.59$16.07$12.3$16.32.26
    Feb 202511.64$15.24$11.4$15.52.20
    Jan 202511.28$15.28$11.0$15.52.13

    Heating season

    A normal year in Arkansas brings 3,547 heating degree-days and 1,726 cooling degree-days (1991 to 2020). Months above 300 heating degree-days in a normal year: Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec. 2025 had 3,047, 14% below normal; the highest of 2015 to 2025 was 3,623 in 2018.

    Arkansas degree-days by year

    Heating and cooling degree-days, Arkansas, 2015 to 2025: 11 rows
    Arkansas yearHeating (HDD)Cooling (CDD)Normal HDDNormal CDD
    20153326185635471726
    20162990199135471726
    20172761167035471726
    20183623203735471726
    20193454186635471726
    20203190160435471726
    20213254178435471726
    20223508193735471726
    20232867193635471726
    20242785200735471726
    20253047198935471726

    NOAA nClimDiv degree-days for Arkansas, 2015 to 2025, pulled 2 Oct 2026.

    CSV

    Heating degree-days by month

    Heating degree-days by month, Arkansas: 12 rows
    Month2025Normal
    Jan917817
    Feb617640
    Mar301460
    Apr109179
    May4745
    Jun03
    Jul00
    Aug12
    Sep920
    Oct94164
    Nov311467
    Dec641750

    NOAA nClimDiv degree-days for Arkansas by month, 2025.

    CSV
    Arkansas, 2025 by month: 12 rows
    MonthHDD 2025HDD normalCDD 2025CDD normal
    Jan91781701
    Feb61764001
    Mar3014603515
    Apr1091796332
    May4745129145
    Jun03398335
    Jul00538462
    Aug12436440
    Sep920290243
    Oct941649050
    Nov311467102
    Dec64175000

    NOAA nClimDiv degree-days for Arkansas, 2025 by month.

    CSV

    Analyst note

    Break-even COP 1.92 is Arkansas's most unusual heating number, rank 44 of 45. Main heating fuel in Arkansas is electricity (53% of homes); electricity heats 53% and utility gas 37%. Since 2024 electricity moved +4.2% and gas +19.6%; in 2026 to date power is +8.0% and gas +10.2% on a year earlier. A COP 3.0 heat pump beats a furnace here by $7.02 per MMBtu; the break-even COP of 1.92 ranks 2 of 45. The most electric counties of Arkansas with 20,000+ residents are led by Greene County at 76% of homes. A normal Arkansas year has 3,547 heating degree-days, and 2025 had 3,047, so heating demand ran 14% below the 1991 to 2020 normal.

    States with a similar break-even

    State near ArkansasBreak-even COP near ArkansasGas, $ per MMBtuHeat pump, $ per MMBtu
    Georgia2.08$20.75$14.39
    Louisiana2.08$17.67$12.28
    Florida1.73$25.89$14.89
    Washington2.15$17.90$12.81
    Hawaii2.24$53.22$39.65
    Texas2.30$19.73$15.11

    Questions on heating in Arkansas

    Why is the Arkansas break-even COP high?

    1.92 puts Arkansas at 44 of 45 states: electricity runs 1.9 times the cost of furnace heat per MMBtu.

    Is a heat pump cheaper than gas in Arkansas?

    Yes on fuel cost: $12.54 per MMBtu against $19.56 for gas, break-even COP 1.92.

    Which Arkansas county has the most electric heating?

    Greene County: 76% of 17,926 homes among counties with 20,000+ residents, median income $56,793.

    What share of Arkansas homes heat with electricity?

    53% of 1,189,160 occupied homes in ACS 2023, against 37% with utility gas.

    Where does Arkansas rank on heat pump cost?

    5 of 45 at $12.54 per MMBtu; North Dakota is lowest at $11.54.

    Is Arkansas a winter or summer electricity state?

    Summer use runs +58% over spring and fall, winter +50%: cooling drives the load.

    Did gas or electricity get more expensive in Arkansas in 2026?

    January to Jul: electricity +8.0%, gas +10.2% on a year earlier.

    How much generating capacity does Arkansas have?

    18,791 MW operable in 2025, 3,083 MW under construction, 2,317 MW planned (EIA-860).

    How many Arkansas homes have smart meters?

    83.8% of 1,510,535 home meters, 3 of 7 reporting utilities offer time-of-use.

    More on Arkansas

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    With electricity at 12.84 cents per kWh and natural gas at $19.25 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $19.56 from a gas furnace, $12.54 from a heat pump and $37.63…