Cost to heat a home in District of Columbia: electricity vs gas
With electricity at 21.92 cents per kWh and natural gas at $16.68 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $16.95 from a gas furnace, $21.41 from a heat pump and $64.24 from resistance heating in District of Columbia.
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Your District of Columbia heating cost
District of Columbia inputs: 21.92 ¢ per kWh, $16.68 per Mcf, fuel only; the need is an illustration. Method.
The numbers
- Electricity 2025
- 21.92 ¢/kWhrank 9 of 45 states by price
- Natural gas 2025
- $16.68 per Mcfrank 17 of 45 states by gas price
- Gas furnace
- $16.95 per MMBtu95% efficiency, rank 17 of 45
- Heat pump
- $21.41 per MMBturank 37 of 45 states, COP 3.0 assumed
- Electric resistance
- $64.24 per MMBtu3.8 times a furnace
- Break-even COP
- 3.79a heat pump above it beats gas; rank 30 of 45
- Annual cost at 50 MMBtu
- $1,071 heat pumpfuel only
- Homes heated by electricity
- 46%49% utility gas, 1% propane, 1% oil
- Electricity since 2024
- +23.8%
- Gas since 2024
- +1.2%
- 2026 to date
- power +17.2%, gas +6.9%January to Aug against 2025
- Winter load
- +55% over spring and fallsummer +52%: a winter-peaking state
- Occupied homes in District of Columbia (ACS 2023)
- 321,556146,754 electric, 158,327 utility gas, 3,473 propane, 3,083 oil; 0 of 1 county are over half electric
- Generating capacity in District of Columbia
- 72 MWEIA-860 2025; 6 MW under construction
District of Columbia charts
One MMBtu of heat in District of Columbia
$16.95 gas, $21.41 heat pump, $64.24 resistance.
District of Columbia, Cost of one MMBtu of heat in District of Columbia: EIA retail sales and natural gas prices.
CSVPrices since 2015, District of Columbia
Electricity $64.24 and gas $16 per MMBtu of energy in 2025.
Fuel cost per MMBtu, District of Columbia, 2015 to 2025: 11 rows
| Year | District of Columbia electricity | District of Columbia gas |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 38.1 | 11.6 |
| 2016 | 36.0 | 10.5 |
| 2017 | 37.9 | 12.1 |
| 2018 | 37.6 | 11.4 |
| 2019 | 38.0 | 12.4 |
| 2020 | 37.0 | 11.5 |
| 2021 | 38.4 | 13.8 |
| 2022 | 41.6 | 16.1 |
| 2023 | 48.2 | 16.2 |
| 2024 | 51.9 | 15.9 |
| 2025 | 64.2 | 16.1 |
11 rows from EIA retail sales and natural gas prices.
CSVHow District of Columbia heats
46% electric.
District of Columbia, How District of Columbia homes are heated: Census ACS 2023, table B25040.
CSVBreak-even COP by month, District of Columbia
2.30 to 4.51 across the months shown.
Break-even COP by month, District of Columbia: 12 rows
| Month | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.87 | 4.37 |
| Feb | 3.91 | 4.21 |
| Mar | 3.58 | 4.00 |
| Apr | 3.16 | 3.63 |
| May | 2.73 | 3.33 |
| Jun | 2.85 | 2.58 |
| Jul | 2.58 | 2.30 |
| Aug | 2.48 | No data |
| Sep | 2.75 | No data |
| Oct | 2.96 | No data |
| Nov | 4.03 | No data |
| Dec | 4.51 | No data |
12 rows from EIA retail sales.
CSVHow District of Columbia homes heat
| District of Columbia main fuel | District of Columbia homes | District of Columbia share | District of Columbia rank among states |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 146,754 | 45.6% | 14 of 45 |
| Utility gas | 158,327 | 49.2% | 24 of 45 |
| Propane | 3,473 | 1.1% | 44 of 45 |
| Fuel oil | 3,083 | 1.0% | 19 of 45 |
| Wood | 0 | 0.0% | 45 of 45 |
District of Columbia has 72 MW of operable generating capacity (EIA-860, 2025), largest in utility-scale solar at 35 MW; 6 MW is under construction and 0 MW planned, which matters if heat pumps add winter load.
3 District of Columbia utilities report meters to EIA-861: 99.5% of 323,152 home meters are smart (AMI), 0 offer a home time-of-use rate and 0 homes are on dynamic pricing.
District of Columbia counties by electric heating
Largest electric share first, then the smallest; 1 county.
| District of Columbia county | District of Columbia residents | District of Columbia electric heat | District of Columbia utility gas | District of Columbia propane | District of Columbia median income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 672,079 | 46% | 49% | 1% | $106,287 |
District of Columbia month by month
| Month | District of Columbia electricity ¢/kWh | District of Columbia gas $/Mcf | Heat pump $/MMBtu | Gas furnace $/MMBtu | District of Columbia break-even COP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 2026 | 25.21 | $31.62 | $24.6 | $32.1 | 2.30 |
| Jun 2026 | 24.39 | $27.28 | $23.8 | $27.7 | 2.58 |
| May 2026 | 25.40 | $22.01 | $24.8 | $22.4 | 3.33 |
| Apr 2026 | 25.41 | $20.17 | $24.8 | $20.5 | 3.63 |
| Mar 2026 | 25.00 | $18.01 | $24.4 | $18.3 | 4.00 |
| Feb 2026 | 23.96 | $16.42 | $23.4 | $16.7 | 4.21 |
| Jan 2026 | 23.72 | $15.67 | $23.2 | $15.9 | 4.37 |
| Dec 2025 | 23.90 | $15.29 | $23.3 | $15.5 | 4.51 |
| Nov 2025 | 22.71 | $16.24 | $22.2 | $16.5 | 4.03 |
| Oct 2025 | 23.92 | $23.27 | $23.4 | $23.6 | 2.96 |
| Sep 2025 | 23.64 | $24.76 | $23.1 | $25.2 | 2.75 |
| Aug 2025 | 23.18 | $26.97 | $22.6 | $27.4 | 2.48 |
| Jul 2025 | 23.03 | $25.77 | $22.5 | $26.2 | 2.58 |
| Jun 2025 | 22.60 | $22.91 | $22.1 | $23.3 | 2.85 |
| May 2025 | 20.41 | $21.57 | $19.9 | $21.9 | 2.73 |
| Apr 2025 | 21.29 | $19.42 | $20.8 | $19.7 | 3.16 |
| Mar 2025 | 20.40 | $16.45 | $19.9 | $16.7 | 3.58 |
| Feb 2025 | 19.72 | $14.53 | $19.3 | $14.8 | 3.91 |
| Jan 2025 | 18.83 | $14.02 | $18.4 | $14.2 | 3.87 |
Heating season
No data: NOAA nClimDiv has no statewide degree days for District of Columbia.
Analyst note
Wood stands out in District of Columbia: 0 homes, 0.0%, rank 45 of 45. Main heating fuel in District of Columbia is utility gas (49% of homes); electricity heats 46% and utility gas 49%. Since 2024 electricity moved +23.8% and gas +1.2%; in 2026 to date power is +17.2% and gas +6.9% on a year earlier. A COP 3.0 heat pump trails a furnace here by $4.47 per MMBtu; the break-even COP of 3.79 ranks 30th of 45. The most electric counties of District of Columbia with 20,000+ residents are led by District of Columbia at 46% of homes.
States with a similar break-even
| State near District of Columbia | Break-even COP near District of Columbia | Gas, $ per MMBtu | Heat pump, $ per MMBtu |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | 3.80 | $18.91 | $23.96 |
| Iowa | 3.70 | $10.78 | $13.31 |
| Pennsylvania | 3.70 | $15.28 | $18.84 |
| Utah | 3.69 | $10.35 | $12.72 |
| South Dakota | 3.90 | $10.02 | $13.01 |
| Vermont | 3.65 | $18.29 | $22.26 |
Questions on heating in District of Columbia
How many District of Columbia homes heat with wood?
0 of 321,556 homes, 0.0%, ranks 45th of 45 states.
Is a heat pump cheaper than gas in District of Columbia?
No on fuel cost: $21.41 per MMBtu against $16.95 for gas, break-even COP 3.79.
Which District of Columbia county has the most electric heating?
District of Columbia: 46% of 321,556 homes among counties with 20,000+ residents, median income $106,287.
What share of District of Columbia homes heat with electricity?
46% of 321,556 occupied homes in ACS 2023, against 49% with utility gas.
Where does District of Columbia rank on heat pump cost?
37 of 45 at $21.41 per MMBtu; North Dakota is lowest at $11.55.
Is District of Columbia a winter or summer electricity state?
Winter use runs +55% over spring and fall, summer +52%: heating drives the load.
Did gas or electricity get more expensive in District of Columbia in 2026?
January to Aug: electricity +17.2%, gas +6.9% on a year earlier.
How much generating capacity does District of Columbia have?
72 MW operable in 2025, 6 MW under construction, 0 MW planned (EIA-860).
How many District of Columbia homes have smart meters?
99.5% of 323,152 home meters, 0 of 3 reporting utilities offer time-of-use.
More on District of Columbia
- District of Columbia electricity ratesutilities, map, outages
- Average electric bill in District of Columbiatypical bill by month