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 Idaho: electricity vs gas

With electricity at 11.82 cents per kWh and natural gas at $7.69 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $7.81 from a gas furnace, $11.55 from a heat pump and $34.64 from resistance heating in Idaho.

Your Idaho heating cost

    Idaho inputs: 11.82 ¢ per kWh, $7.69 per Mcf, fuel only; the need is an illustration. Method.

    The numbers

    Electricity 2025
    11.82 ¢/kWhrank 44 of 45 states by price
    Natural gas 2025
    $7.69 per Mcfrank 45 of 45 states by gas price
    Gas furnace
    $7.81 per MMBtu95% efficiency, rank 45 of 45
    Heat pump
    $11.55 per MMBturank 2 of 45 states, COP 3.0 assumed
    Electric resistance
    $34.64 per MMBtu4.4 times a furnace
    Break-even COP
    4.43a heat pump above it beats gas; rank 40 of 45
    Annual cost at 50 MMBtu
    $577 heat pumpfuel only
    Homes heated by electricity
    35%51% utility gas, 5% propane, 1% oil
    Electricity since 2024
    +2.6%
    Gas since 2024
    -9.6%
    2026 to date
    power +12.0%, gas +1.4%January to Jul against 2025
    Winter load
    +54% over spring and fallsummer +29%: a winter-peaking state
    Heating degree-days, normal year
    7,2201991 to 2020; 2025 had 6,238, rank 11 of 42 states by normal HDD
    Occupied homes in Idaho (ACS 2023)
    693,821243,011 electric, 356,291 utility gas, 36,788 propane, 9,470 oil; 6 of 44 counties are over half electric
    Generating capacity in Idaho
    5,972 MWEIA-860 2025; 142 MW under construction

    Idaho charts

    One MMBtu of heat in Idaho

    $7.81 gas, $11.55 heat pump, $34.64 resistance.

    $ per MMBtu

    • Electric resistance34.6
    • Heat pump, COP 3.011.5
    • Gas furnace, 95%7.8

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

    CSV

    Prices since 2015, Idaho

    Electricity $34.64 and gas $7 per MMBtu of energy in 2025.

    Fuel cost per MMBtu, Idaho, 2015 to 2025: 11 rows
    YearIdaho electricityIdaho gas
    201529.18.3
    201629.27.9
    201729.47.4
    201829.76.9
    201929.06.3
    202029.26.5
    202129.86.8
    202230.47.7
    202332.49.4
    202433.88.2
    202534.67.4

    11 rows from EIA retail sales and natural gas prices.

    CSV

    How Idaho heats

    35% electric.

    % of homes

    • Electricity35.0
    • Utility gas51.4
    • Propane5.3
    • Fuel oil1.4
    • Wood5.6

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

    CSV

    Break-even COP by month, Idaho

    2.46 to 5.19 across the months shown.

    Break-even COP by month, Idaho: 12 rows
    Month20252026
    Jan4.785.19
    Feb4.635.07
    Mar4.674.83
    Apr4.294.11
    May3.433.29
    Jun2.573.66
    Jul2.702.98
    Aug2.46No data
    Sep2.88No data
    Oct4.43No data
    Nov4.88No data
    Dec5.03No data

    12 rows from EIA retail sales.

    CSV

    How Idaho homes heat

    Idaho main fuelIdaho homesIdaho shareIdaho rank among states
    Electricity243,01135.0%22 of 45
    Utility gas356,29151.4%19 of 45
    Propane36,7885.3%24 of 45
    Fuel oil9,4701.4%16 of 45
    Wood39,1765.6%5 of 45

    Idaho has 5,972 MW of operable generating capacity (EIA-860, 2025), largest in hydro (conventional) at 2,696 MW; 142 MW is under construction and 859 MW planned, which matters if heat pumps add winter load.

    5 Idaho utilities report meters to EIA-861: 81.3% of 865,471 home meters are smart (AMI), 3 offer a home time-of-use rate and 11,629 homes are on dynamic pricing.

    Idaho counties by electric heating

    Largest electric share first, then the smallest; 18 counties.

    Idaho countyIdaho residentsIdaho electric heatIdaho utility gasIdaho propaneIdaho median income
    Minidoka County21,92272%17%5%$70,060
    Cassia County25,16562%26%3%$67,042
    Latah County40,31551%31%5%$65,179
    Jerome County24,78849%33%7%$69,338
    Payette County26,19043%38%7%$65,723
    Blaine County24,57942%47%2%$84,470
    Bingham County48,99340%44%10%$76,842
    Nez Perce County42,47739%50%2%$71,466
    Bonneville County127,05638%56%4%$76,646
    Kootenai County177,73637%54%3%$77,034
    Twin Falls County92,12136%54%4%$65,338
    Bonner County49,45634%22%11%$65,168
    Madison County53,57834%55%7%$58,259
    Elmore County29,04633%53%7%$58,976
    Canyon County242,40533%59%3%$72,355
    Bannock County88,45732%58%6%$64,080
    Ada County508,05228%69%1%$88,907
    Jefferson County32,23425%47%18%$82,952

    Idaho month by month

    MonthIdaho electricity ¢/kWhIdaho gas $/McfHeat pump $/MMBtuGas furnace $/MMBtuIdaho break-even COP
    Jul 202613.73$13.29$13.4$13.52.98
    Jun 202614.37$11.33$14.0$11.53.66
    May 202612.35$10.82$12.1$11.03.29
    Apr 202612.70$8.91$12.4$9.14.11
    Mar 202613.01$7.77$12.7$7.94.83
    Feb 202612.63$7.18$12.3$7.35.07
    Jan 202612.07$6.71$11.8$6.85.19
    Dec 202511.87$6.80$11.6$6.95.03
    Nov 202512.25$7.24$12.0$7.44.88
    Oct 202512.46$8.12$12.2$8.34.43
    Sep 202512.50$12.50$12.2$12.72.88
    Aug 202512.08$14.19$11.8$14.42.46
    Jul 202512.28$13.11$12.0$13.32.70
    Jun 202512.07$13.53$11.8$13.72.57
    May 202511.88$9.99$11.6$10.23.43
    Apr 202511.89$7.99$11.6$8.14.29
    Mar 202511.57$7.14$11.3$7.34.67
    Feb 202510.95$6.82$10.7$6.94.63
    Jan 202510.82$6.53$10.6$6.64.78

    Heating season

    A normal year in Idaho brings 7,220 heating degree-days and 409 cooling degree-days (1991 to 2020). Months above 300 heating degree-days in a normal year: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec. 2025 had 6,238, 14% below normal; the highest of 2015 to 2025 was 7,280 in 2022.

    Idaho degree-days by year

    Heating and cooling degree-days, Idaho, 2015 to 2025: 11 rows
    Idaho yearHeating (HDD)Cooling (CDD)Normal HDDNormal CDD
    201561036097220409
    201664294557220409
    201769856157220409
    201866465417220409
    201971324537220409
    202066614877220409
    202164797287220409
    202272807187220409
    202368985747220409
    202464636247220409
    202562386247220409

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

    CSV

    Heating degree-days by month

    Heating degree-days by month, Idaho: 12 rows
    Month2025Normal
    Jan12321246
    Feb1011988
    Mar762876
    Apr550597
    May286368
    Jun97171
    Jul1741
    Aug2559
    Sep106232
    Oct560550
    Nov703905
    Dec8891187

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

    CSV
    Idaho, 2025 by month: 12 rows
    MonthHDD 2025HDD normalCDD 2025CDD normal
    Jan1,2321,24600
    Feb1,01198800
    Mar76287600
    Apr55059700
    May2863681610
    Jun971719252
    Jul1741233178
    Aug2559195138
    Sep1062328831
    Oct56055000
    Nov70390500
    Dec8891,18700

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

    CSV

    Analyst note

    Gas price change stands out in Idaho: -9.6% since 2024, rank 42 of 45. Main heating fuel in Idaho is utility gas (51% of homes); electricity heats 35% and utility gas 51%. Since 2024 electricity moved +2.6% and gas -9.6%; in 2026 to date power is +12.0% and gas +1.4% on a year earlier. A COP 3.0 heat pump trails a furnace here by $3.73 per MMBtu; the break-even COP of 4.43 ranks 40 of 45. The most electric counties of Idaho with 20,000+ residents are led by Minidoka County at 72% of homes. A normal Idaho year has 7,220 heating degree-days, and 2025 had 6,238, so heating demand ran 14% below the 1991 to 2020 normal.

    States with a similar break-even

    State near IdahoBreak-even COP near IdahoGas, $ per MMBtuHeat pump, $ per MMBtu
    New Mexico4.42$9.99$14.73
    Illinois4.54$11.43$17.28
    New York4.33$17.86$25.78
    New Jersey4.59$14.44$22.11
    California4.26$22.36$31.79
    Montana4.16$9.13$12.68

    Questions on heating in Idaho

    How fast did Idaho gas prices move since 2024?

    -9.6% from $8.51 to $7.69 per Mcf, rank 42 of 45 states by change.

    Is a heat pump cheaper than gas in Idaho?

    No on fuel cost: $11.55 per MMBtu against $7.81 for gas, break-even COP 4.43.

    Which Idaho county has the most electric heating?

    Minidoka County: 72% of 7,814 homes among counties with 20,000+ residents, median income $70,060.

    What share of Idaho homes heat with electricity?

    35% of 693,821 occupied homes in ACS 2023, against 51% with utility gas.

    Where does Idaho rank on heat pump cost?

    2 of 45 at $11.55 per MMBtu; North Dakota is lowest at $11.54.

    Is Idaho a winter or summer electricity state?

    Winter use runs +54% over spring and fall, summer +29%: heating drives the load.

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

    January to Jul: electricity +12.0%, gas +1.4% on a year earlier.

    How much generating capacity does Idaho have?

    5,972 MW operable in 2025, 142 MW under construction, 859 MW planned (EIA-860).

    How many Idaho homes have smart meters?

    81.3% of 865,471 home meters, 3 of 5 reporting utilities offer time-of-use.

    More on Idaho

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    With electricity at 11.82 cents per kWh and natural gas at $7.69 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $7.81 from a gas furnace, $11.55 from a heat pump and $34.64…