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 Illinois: electricity vs gas

With electricity at 17.69 cents per kWh and natural gas at $11.25 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $11.43 from a gas furnace, $17.28 from a heat pump and $51.84 from resistance heating in Illinois.

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Your Illinois heating cost

    Illinois inputs: 17.69 ¢ per kWh, $11.25 per Mcf, fuel only; the need is an illustration. Method.

    The numbers

    Electricity 2025
    17.69 ¢/kWhrank 13 of 45 states by price
    Natural gas 2025
    $11.25 per Mcfrank 34 of 45 states by gas price
    Gas furnace
    $11.43 per MMBtu95% efficiency, rank 34 of 45
    Heat pump
    $17.28 per MMBturank 33 of 45 states, COP 3.0 assumed
    Electric resistance
    $51.84 per MMBtu4.5 times a furnace
    Break-even COP
    4.54a heat pump above it beats gas; rank 41 of 45
    Annual cost at 50 MMBtu
    $864 heat pumpfuel only
    Homes heated by electricity
    18%76% utility gas, 4% propane, 0% oil
    Electricity since 2024
    +11.5%
    Gas since 2024
    +1.3%
    2026 to date
    power +10.7%, gas +2.0%January to Jul against 2025
    Winter load
    +40% over spring and fallsummer +74%: a summer-peaking state
    Heating degree-days, normal year
    6,4371991 to 2020; 2025 had 5,887, rank 17 of 42 states by normal HDD
    Occupied homes in Illinois (ACS 2023)
    5,001,904910,214 electric, 3,783,647 utility gas, 216,819 propane, 6,131 oil; 3 of 102 counties are over half electric
    Generating capacity in Illinois
    52,414 MWEIA-860 2025; 2,920 MW under construction

    Illinois charts

    One MMBtu of heat in Illinois

    $11.43 gas, $17.28 heat pump, $51.84 resistance.

    $ per MMBtu

    • Electric resistance51.8
    • Heat pump, COP 3.017.3
    • Gas furnace, 95%11.4

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

    CSV

    Prices since 2015, Illinois

    Electricity $51.84 and gas $11 per MMBtu of energy in 2025.

    Fuel cost per MMBtu, Illinois, 2015 to 2025: 11 rows
    YearIllinois electricityIllinois gas
    201536.67.7
    201636.87.6
    201738.08.5
    201837.47.9
    201938.27.8
    202038.27.7
    202138.610.1
    202245.913.3
    202346.011.2
    202446.510.7
    202551.810.9

    11 rows from EIA retail sales and natural gas prices.

    CSV

    How Illinois heats

    18% electric.

    % of homes

    • Electricity18.2
    • Utility gas75.6
    • Propane4.3
    • Fuel oil0.1
    • Wood0.4

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

    CSV

    Break-even COP by month, Illinois

    2.18 to 5.56 across the months shown.

    Break-even COP by month, Illinois: 12 rows
    Month20252026
    Jan5.564.89
    Feb5.154.51
    Mar4.644.50
    Apr3.894.13
    May3.294.47
    Jun2.552.91
    Jul2.182.63
    Aug2.25No data
    Sep2.55No data
    Oct3.50No data
    Nov5.00No data
    Dec5.19No data

    12 rows from EIA retail sales.

    CSV

    How Illinois homes heat

    Illinois main fuelIllinois homesIllinois shareIllinois rank among states
    Electricity910,21418.2%36 of 45
    Utility gas3,783,64775.6%2 of 45
    Propane216,8194.3%31 of 45
    Fuel oil6,1310.1%36 of 45
    Wood17,9480.4%40 of 45

    Illinois has 52,414 MW of operable generating capacity (EIA-860, 2025), largest in natural gas at 18,755 MW; 2,920 MW is under construction and 5,774 MW planned, which matters if heat pumps add winter load.

    23 Illinois utilities report meters to EIA-861: 93.6% of 5,585,260 home meters are smart (AMI), 7 offer a home time-of-use rate and 518,810 homes are on dynamic pricing.

    Illinois counties by electric heating

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

    Illinois countyIllinois residentsIllinois electric heatIllinois utility gasIllinois propaneIllinois median income
    Williamson County66,90266%27%5%$65,521
    Jackson County52,70656%34%7%$45,572
    Franklin County37,54149%39%10%$53,471
    Coles County46,68942%50%6%$56,040
    Perry County20,81040%43%15%$59,286
    Jefferson County36,80839%34%21%$61,102
    Champaign County206,09838%57%4%$63,091
    Saline County23,38737%50%11%$54,945
    Randolph County30,14236%45%15%$68,870
    Vermilion County73,17935%55%8%$54,537
    Lake County711,88514%84%1%$108,917
    Kankakee County106,83313%78%8%$68,325
    Grundy County52,92013%79%7%$93,060
    Winnebago County283,28912%84%3%$64,363
    Kane County516,09712%86%1%$100,678
    Boone County53,31612%79%8%$81,638
    McHenry County311,36611%86%2%$102,836
    Jo Daviess County21,91810%52%33%$74,954
    Will County698,4509%88%2%$107,799
    Kendall County135,0539%87%3%$110,474

    Illinois month by month

    MonthIllinois electricity ¢/kWhIllinois gas $/McfHeat pump $/MMBtuGas furnace $/MMBtuIllinois break-even COP
    Jul 202619.22$21.04$18.8$21.42.63
    Jun 202619.89$19.71$19.4$20.02.91
    May 202623.85$15.39$23.3$15.64.47
    Apr 202620.47$14.29$20.0$14.54.13
    Mar 202618.86$12.10$18.4$12.34.50
    Feb 202617.83$11.40$17.4$11.64.51
    Jan 202616.36$9.65$16.0$9.84.89
    Dec 202517.07$9.48$16.7$9.65.19
    Nov 202518.31$10.56$17.9$10.75.00
    Oct 202518.74$15.45$18.3$15.73.50
    Sep 202519.05$21.51$18.6$21.92.55
    Aug 202518.06$23.18$17.6$23.62.25
    Jul 202517.22$22.77$16.8$23.12.18
    Jun 202518.29$20.67$17.9$21.02.55
    May 202518.58$16.28$18.2$16.53.29
    Apr 202518.28$13.55$17.9$13.83.89
    Mar 202517.55$10.91$17.1$11.14.64
    Feb 202516.47$9.22$16.1$9.45.15
    Jan 202515.78$8.18$15.4$8.35.56

    Heating season

    A normal year in Illinois brings 6,437 heating degree-days and 841 cooling degree-days (1991 to 2020). Months above 300 heating degree-days in a normal year: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec. 2025 had 5,887, 9% below normal; the highest of 2015 to 2025 was 6,430 in 2019.

    Illinois degree-days by year

    Heating and cooling degree-days, Illinois, 2015 to 2025: 11 rows
    Illinois yearHeating (HDD)Cooling (CDD)Normal HDDNormal CDD
    201560048426437841
    2016554410896437841
    201755438406437841
    2018642710966437841
    201964309366437841
    202057749516437841
    2021568410636437841
    202263259296437841
    202353208816437841
    2024508010246437841
    2025588710426437841

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

    CSV

    Heating degree-days by month

    Heating degree-days by month, Illinois: 12 rows
    Month2025Normal
    Jan13491310
    Feb10691091
    Mar627865
    Apr419474
    May221213
    Jun1136
    Jul05
    Aug1418
    Sep4288
    Oct249384
    Nov696776
    Dec11901177

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

    CSV
    Illinois, 2025 by month: 12 rows
    MonthHDD 2025HDD normalCDD 2025CDD normal
    Jan1,3491,31000
    Feb1,0691,09100
    Mar62786541
    Apr41947422
    May2212134861
    Jun1136250174
    Jul05365283
    Aug1418226233
    Sep428812278
    Oct249384259
    Nov69677600
    Dec1,1901,17700

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

    CSV

    Analyst note

    Utility gas stands out in Illinois: 75.6% of 5,001,904 homes, rank 2 of 45. Main heating fuel in Illinois is utility gas (76% of homes); electricity heats 18% and utility gas 76%. Since 2024 electricity moved +11.5% and gas +1.3%; in 2026 to date power is +10.7% and gas +2.0% on a year earlier. A COP 3.0 heat pump trails a furnace here by $5.85 per MMBtu; the break-even COP of 4.54 ranks 41 of 45. The most electric counties of Illinois with 20,000+ residents are led by Williamson County at 66% of homes. A normal Illinois year has 6,437 heating degree-days, and 2025 had 5,887, so heating demand ran 9% below the 1991 to 2020 normal.

    States with a similar break-even

    State near IllinoisBreak-even COP near IllinoisGas, $ per MMBtuHeat pump, $ per MMBtu
    New Jersey4.59$14.44$22.11
    Idaho4.43$7.81$11.55
    New Mexico4.42$9.99$14.73
    New York4.33$17.86$25.78
    California4.26$22.36$31.79
    Wisconsin4.88$10.91$17.74

    Questions on heating in Illinois

    How much of Illinois relies on utility gas for heat?

    75.6% of homes, 3,783,647 of 5,001,904, ranks 2 of 45 states.

    Is a heat pump cheaper than gas in Illinois?

    No on fuel cost: $17.28 per MMBtu against $11.43 for gas, break-even COP 4.54.

    Which Illinois county has the most electric heating?

    Williamson County: 66% of 28,774 homes among counties with 20,000+ residents, median income $65,521.

    What share of Illinois homes heat with electricity?

    18% of 5,001,904 occupied homes in ACS 2023, against 76% with utility gas.

    Where does Illinois rank on heat pump cost?

    33 of 45 at $17.28 per MMBtu; North Dakota is lowest at $11.54.

    Is Illinois a winter or summer electricity state?

    Summer use runs +74% over spring and fall, winter +40%: cooling drives the load.

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

    January to Jul: electricity +10.7%, gas +2.0% on a year earlier.

    How much generating capacity does Illinois have?

    52,414 MW operable in 2025, 2,920 MW under construction, 5,774 MW planned (EIA-860).

    How many Illinois homes have smart meters?

    93.6% of 5,585,260 home meters, 7 of 23 reporting utilities offer time-of-use.

    More on Illinois

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    With electricity at 17.69 cents per kWh and natural gas at $11.25 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $11.43 from a gas furnace, $17.28 from a heat pump and $51.84…