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 Delaware: electricity vs gas

With electricity at 17.15 cents per kWh and natural gas at $15.97 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $16.23 from a gas furnace, $16.75 from a heat pump and $50.26 from resistance heating in Delaware.

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Your Delaware heating cost

    Delaware inputs: 17.15 ¢ per kWh, $15.97 per Mcf, fuel only; the need is an illustration. Method.

    The numbers

    Electricity 2025
    17.15 ¢/kWhrank 14 of 45 states by price
    Natural gas 2025
    $15.97 per Mcfrank 19 of 45 states by gas price
    Gas furnace
    $16.23 per MMBtu95% efficiency, rank 19 of 45
    Heat pump
    $16.75 per MMBturank 32 of 45 states, COP 3.0 assumed
    Electric resistance
    $50.26 per MMBtu3.1 times a furnace
    Break-even COP
    3.10a heat pump above it beats gas; rank 19 of 45
    Annual cost at 50 MMBtu
    $838 heat pumpfuel only
    Homes heated by electricity
    37%42% utility gas, 9% propane, 9% oil
    Electricity since 2024
    +3.5%
    Gas since 2024
    +8.1%
    2026 to date
    power +7.1%, gas +6.3%January to Aug against 2025
    Winter load
    +70% over spring and fallsummer +58%: a winter-peaking state
    Heating degree-days, normal year
    4,4821991 to 2020; 2025 had 4,559, rank 27 of 42 states by normal HDD
    Occupied homes in Delaware (ACS 2023)
    396,209146,492 electric, 167,798 utility gas, 36,303 propane, 37,115 oil; 1 of 3 counties are over half electric
    Generating capacity in Delaware
    3,020 MWEIA-860 2025; 29 MW under construction

    Delaware charts

    One MMBtu of heat in Delaware

    $16.23 gas, $16.75 heat pump, $50.26 resistance.

    $ per MMBtu

    • Electric resistance50.3
    • Heat pump, COP 3.016.8
    • Gas furnace, 95%16.2

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

    CSV

    Prices since 2015, Delaware

    Electricity $50.26 and gas $15 per MMBtu of energy in 2025.

    Fuel cost per MMBtu, Delaware, 2015 to 2025: 11 rows
    YearDelaware electricityDelaware gas
    201539.312.2
    201639.311.5
    201739.112.4
    201836.712.2
    201936.811.7
    202036.812.5
    202136.712.7
    202240.214.5
    202346.117.1
    202448.614.3
    202550.315.4

    11 rows from EIA retail sales and natural gas prices.

    CSV

    How Delaware heats

    37% electric.

    % of homes

    • Electricity37.0
    • Utility gas42.4
    • Propane9.2
    • Fuel oil9.4
    • Wood0.7

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

    CSV

    Break-even COP by month, Delaware

    1.48 to 3.55 across the months shown.

    Break-even COP by month, Delaware: 12 rows
    Month20252026
    Jan3.522.95
    Feb3.552.91
    Mar3.522.97
    Apr3.362.78
    May2.552.48
    Jun1.981.87
    Jul1.511.60
    Aug1.48No data
    Sep1.62No data
    Oct1.95No data
    Nov2.88No data
    Dec2.90No data

    12 rows from EIA retail sales.

    CSV

    How Delaware homes heat

    Delaware main fuelDelaware homesDelaware shareDelaware rank among states
    Electricity146,49237.0%20 of 45
    Utility gas167,79842.4%27 of 45
    Propane36,3039.2%11 of 45
    Fuel oil37,1159.4%7 of 45
    Wood2,7080.7%36 of 45

    Delaware has 3,020 MW of operable generating capacity (EIA-860, 2025), largest in natural gas at 2,629 MW; 29 MW is under construction and 178 MW planned, which matters if heat pumps add winter load.

    8 Delaware utilities report meters to EIA-861: 93.6% of 479,731 home meters are smart (AMI), 1 offer a home time-of-use rate and 262,644 homes are on dynamic pricing.

    Delaware counties by electric heating

    Largest electric share first, then the smallest; 3 counties.

    Delaware countyDelaware residentsDelaware electric heatDelaware utility gasDelaware propaneDelaware median income
    Sussex County247,79952%18%20%$78,162
    Kent County185,04333%41%12%$72,872
    New Castle County573,03031%54%3%$89,901

    Delaware month by month

    MonthDelaware electricity ¢/kWhDelaware gas $/McfHeat pump $/MMBtuGas furnace $/MMBtuDelaware break-even COP
    Jul 202618.48$33.41$18.1$33.91.60
    Jun 202619.29$29.73$18.8$30.21.87
    May 202619.38$22.51$18.9$22.92.48
    Apr 202618.79$19.51$18.4$19.82.78
    Mar 202617.64$17.14$17.2$17.42.97
    Feb 202616.27$16.15$15.9$16.42.91
    Jan 202616.51$16.17$16.1$16.42.95
    Dec 202517.16$17.07$16.8$17.32.90
    Nov 202518.82$18.84$18.4$19.12.88
    Oct 202518.33$27.17$17.9$27.61.95
    Sep 202518.14$32.20$17.7$32.71.62
    Aug 202516.85$32.84$16.5$33.41.48
    Jul 202516.60$31.78$16.2$32.31.51
    Jun 202518.19$26.44$17.8$26.91.98
    May 202518.16$20.53$17.7$20.92.55
    Apr 202518.00$15.47$17.6$15.73.36
    Mar 202516.73$13.72$16.3$13.93.52
    Feb 202515.66$12.71$15.3$12.93.55
    Jan 202515.54$12.75$15.2$13.03.52

    Heating season

    A normal year in Delaware brings 4,482 heating degree-days and 1,140 cooling degree-days (1991 to 2020). Months above 300 heating degree-days in a normal year: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec. 2025 had 4,559, 2% above normal; the highest of 2015 to 2025 was 4,559 in 2025.

    Delaware degree-days by year

    Heating and cooling degree-days, Delaware, 2015 to 2025: 11 rows
    Delaware yearHeating (HDD)Cooling (CDD)Normal HDDNormal CDD
    20154480129244821140
    20164236135844821140
    20174034116744821140
    20184472139344821140
    20194347137544821140
    20203999125644821140
    20214164125444821140
    20224481126544821140
    20233843107744821140
    20244037123244821140
    20254559116644821140

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

    CSV

    Heating degree-days by month

    Heating degree-days by month, Delaware: 12 rows
    Month2025Normal
    Jan1103950
    Feb804802
    Mar511661
    Apr285333
    May86111
    Jun02
    Jul00
    Aug00
    Sep1423
    Oct243248
    Nov559541
    Dec954811

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

    CSV
    Delaware, 2025 by month: 12 rows
    MonthHDD 2025HDD normalCDD 2025CDD normal
    Jan1,10395000
    Feb80480200
    Mar51166100
    Apr28533332
    May861116659
    Jun02275223
    Jul00447380
    Aug00213322
    Sep1423148137
    Oct2432481417
    Nov55954100
    Dec95481100

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

    CSV

    Analyst note

    Fuel oil stands out in Delaware: 37,115 homes, 9.4%, rank 7 of 45. Main heating fuel in Delaware is utility gas (42% of homes); electricity heats 37% and utility gas 42%. Since 2024 electricity moved +3.5% and gas +8.1%; in 2026 to date power is +7.1% and gas +6.3% on a year earlier. A COP 3.0 heat pump trails a furnace here by $0.53 per MMBtu; the break-even COP of 3.10 ranks 19th of 45. The most electric counties of Delaware with 20,000+ residents are led by Sussex County at 52% of homes. A normal Delaware year has 4,482 heating degree-days, and 2025 had 4,559, so heating demand ran 2% above the 1991 to 2020 normal.

    States with a similar break-even

    State near DelawareBreak-even COP near DelawareGas, $ per MMBtuHeat pump, $ per MMBtu
    Nebraska3.05$11.58$11.77
    West Virginia3.22$14.02$15.03
    Tennessee3.22$12.03$12.91
    Nevada2.91$13.35$12.95
    Wyoming3.28$11.93$13.06
    Kansas2.81$15.05$14.11

    Questions on heating in Delaware

    How many Delaware homes heat with fuel oil?

    37,115 of 396,209 homes, 9.4%, ranks 7th of 45 states; oil is not priced in this comparison.

    Is a heat pump cheaper than gas in Delaware?

    No on fuel cost: $16.75 per MMBtu against $16.23 for gas, break-even COP 3.10.

    Which Delaware county has the most electric heating?

    Sussex County: 52% of 103,213 homes among counties with 20,000+ residents, median income $78,162.

    What share of Delaware homes heat with electricity?

    37% of 396,209 occupied homes in ACS 2023, against 42% with utility gas.

    Where does Delaware rank on heat pump cost?

    32 of 45 at $16.75 per MMBtu; North Dakota is lowest at $11.55.

    Is Delaware a winter or summer electricity state?

    Winter use runs +70% over spring and fall, summer +58%: heating drives the load.

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

    January to Aug: electricity +7.1%, gas +6.3% on a year earlier.

    How much generating capacity does Delaware have?

    3,020 MW operable in 2025, 29 MW under construction, 178 MW planned (EIA-860).

    How many Delaware homes have smart meters?

    93.6% of 479,731 home meters, 1 of 8 reporting utilities offer time-of-use.

    More on Delaware

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    With electricity at 17.15 cents per kWh and natural gas at $15.97 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $16.23 from a gas furnace, $16.75 from a heat pump and $50.26…