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 17.13 cents per kWh and natural gas at $15.97 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $16.23 from a gas furnace, $16.73 from a heat pump and $50.20 from resistance heating in Delaware.

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Your Delaware heating cost

    Delaware inputs: 17.13 ¢ per kWh, $15.97 per Mcf, fuel only; the need is an illustration. Method.

    The numbers

    Electricity 2025
    17.13 ¢/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
    $16.73 per MMBturank 32 of 45 states, COP 3.0 assumed
    Electric resistance
    $50.20 per MMBtu3.1 times a furnace
    Break-even COP
    3.09a heat pump above it beats gas; rank 18 of 45
    Annual cost at 50 MMBtu
    $837 heat pumpfuel only
    Homes heated by electricity
    37%42% utility gas, 9% propane, 9% oil
    Electricity since 2024
    +3.4%
    Gas since 2024
    +8.1%
    2026 to date
    power +6.5%, gas +15.9%January to Jul against 2025
    Winter load
    +70% over spring and fallsummer +58%: a winter-peaking state
    Heating degree-days, normal year
    4,9431991 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, $16.73 heat pump, $50.20 resistance.

    $ per MMBtu

    • Electric resistance50.2
    • Heat pump, COP 3.016.7
    • 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 $50.20 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
    202550.215.4

    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
    Jan3.512.95
    Feb3.552.91
    Mar3.512.97
    Apr3.352.78
    May2.552.48
    Jun1.981.87
    Jul1.501.60
    Aug1.48No data
    Sep1.62No data
    Oct1.94No data
    Nov2.88No data
    Dec2.89No 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 202517.12$17.07$16.7$17.32.89
    Nov 202518.81$18.84$18.4$19.12.88
    Oct 202518.31$27.17$17.9$27.61.94
    Sep 202518.12$32.20$17.7$32.71.62
    Aug 202516.82$32.84$16.4$33.41.48
    Jul 202516.58$31.78$16.2$32.31.50
    Jun 202518.16$26.44$17.7$26.91.98
    May 202518.13$20.53$17.7$20.92.55
    Apr 202517.97$15.47$17.6$15.73.35
    Mar 202516.71$13.72$16.3$13.93.51
    Feb 202515.65$12.71$15.3$12.93.55
    Jan 202515.53$12.75$15.2$13.03.51

    Heating season

    A normal year in Delaware brings 4,943 heating degree-days and 945 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, 8% below 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
    2015448012924943945
    2016423613584943945
    2017403411674943945
    2018447213934943945
    2019434713754943945
    2020399912564943945
    2021416412544943945
    2022448112654943945
    2023384310774943945
    2024403712324943945
    2025455911664943945

    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
    Jan11031006
    Feb804880
    Mar511705
    Apr285392
    May86132
    Jun07
    Jul00
    Aug00
    Sep1437
    Oct243288
    Nov559587
    Dec954909

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

    CSV
    Delaware, 2025 by month: 12 rows
    MonthHDD 2025HDD normalCDD 2025CDD normal
    Jan1,1031,00600
    Feb80488000
    Mar51170500
    Apr28539230
    May861326642
    Jun07275183
    Jul00447326
    Aug00213275
    Sep1437148108
    Oct2432881411
    Nov55958700
    Dec95490900

    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 +3.4% and gas +8.1%; in 2026 to date power is +6.5% and gas +15.9% on a year earlier. A COP 3.0 heat pump trails a furnace here by $0.51 per MMBtu; the break-even COP of 3.09 ranks 18 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 4,943 heating degree-days, and 2025 had 4,559, so heating demand ran 8% below the 1991 to 2020 normal.

    States with a similar break-even

    State near DelawareBreak-even COP near DelawareGas, $ per MMBtuHeat pump, $ per MMBtu
    Nebraska3.12$11.58$12.05
    Tennessee3.21$12.03$12.88
    West Virginia3.22$14.02$15.05
    Wyoming3.29$11.93$13.07
    Nevada2.89$13.35$12.85
    Kansas2.84$15.05$14.22

    Questions on heating in Delaware

    How many Delaware homes heat with fuel oil?

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

    Is a heat pump cheaper than gas in Delaware?

    No on fuel cost: $16.73 per MMBtu against $16.23 for gas, break-even COP 3.09.

    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 $16.73 per MMBtu; North Dakota is lowest at $11.54.

    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 Jul: electricity +6.5%, gas +15.9% 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 17.13 cents per kWh and natural gas at $15.97 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $16.23 from a gas furnace, $16.73 from a heat pump and $50.20…