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 Massachusetts: electricity vs gas

With electricity at 30.41 cents per kWh and natural gas at $25.06 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $25.46 from a gas furnace, $29.71 from a heat pump and $89.12 from resistance heating in Massachusetts.

In Massachusetts many households choose their energy supplier. See how to compare suppliers.

Your Massachusetts heating cost

    Massachusetts inputs: 30.41 ¢ per kWh, $25.06 per Mcf, fuel only; the need is an illustration. Method.

    The numbers

    Electricity 2025
    30.41 ¢/kWhrank 3 of 45 states by price
    Natural gas 2025
    $25.06 per Mcfrank 3 of 45 states by gas price
    Gas furnace
    $25.46 per MMBtu95% efficiency, rank 3 of 45
    Heat pump
    $29.71 per MMBturank 43 of 45 states, COP 3.0 assumed
    Electric resistance
    $89.12 per MMBtu3.5 times a furnace
    Break-even COP
    3.50a heat pump above it beats gas; rank 23 of 45
    Annual cost at 50 MMBtu
    $1,485 heat pumpfuel only
    Homes heated by electricity
    18%52% utility gas, 4% propane, 23% oil
    Electricity since 2024
    +3.6%
    Gas since 2024
    +14.4%
    2026 to date
    power -0.1%, gas +10.7%January to Aug against 2025
    Winter load
    +33% over spring and fallsummer +37%: a summer-peaking state
    Heating degree-days, normal year
    6,1341991 to 2020; 2025 had 6,063, rank 15 of 42 states by normal HDD
    Occupied homes in Massachusetts (ACS 2023)
    2,762,070495,363 electric, 1,426,625 utility gas, 121,862 propane, 640,814 oil; 0 of 14 counties are over half electric
    Generating capacity in Massachusetts
    12,500 MWEIA-860 2025; 822 MW under construction

    Massachusetts charts

    One MMBtu of heat in Massachusetts

    $25.46 gas, $29.71 heat pump, $89.12 resistance.

    $ per MMBtu

    • Electric resistance89.1
    • Heat pump, COP 3.029.7
    • Gas furnace, 95%25.5

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

    CSV

    Prices since 2015, Massachusetts

    Electricity $89.12 and gas $24 per MMBtu of energy in 2025.

    Fuel cost per MMBtu, Massachusetts, 2015 to 2025: 11 rows
    YearMassachusetts electricityMassachusetts gas
    201558.112.6
    201655.712.0
    201758.812.9
    201863.314.9
    201964.214.2
    202064.414.2
    202167.115.5
    202276.119.7
    202386.820.7
    202486.021.1
    202589.124.2

    11 rows from EIA retail sales and natural gas prices.

    CSV

    How Massachusetts heats

    18% electric.

    % of homes

    • Electricity17.9
    • Utility gas51.7
    • Propane4.4
    • Fuel oil23.2
    • Wood1.1

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

    CSV

    Break-even COP by month, Massachusetts

    2.65 to 4.00 across the months shown.

    Break-even COP by month, Massachusetts: 12 rows
    Month20252026
    Jan3.553.49
    Feb3.373.37
    Mar3.473.21
    Apr3.712.83
    May3.382.65
    Jun3.252.79
    Jul3.062.88
    Aug3.10No data
    Sep3.16No data
    Oct4.00No data
    Nov3.97No data
    Dec3.45No data

    12 rows from EIA retail sales.

    CSV

    How Massachusetts homes heat

    Massachusetts main fuelMassachusetts homesMassachusetts shareMassachusetts rank among states
    Electricity495,36317.9%37 of 45
    Utility gas1,426,62551.7%18 of 45
    Propane121,8624.4%28 of 45
    Fuel oil640,81423.2%4 of 45
    Wood30,3381.1%30 of 45

    Massachusetts has 12,500 MW of operable generating capacity (EIA-860, 2025), largest in natural gas at 6,566 MW; 822 MW is under construction and 37 MW planned, which matters if heat pumps add winter load.

    17 Massachusetts utilities report meters to EIA-861: 10.4% of 3,091,348 home meters are smart (AMI), 1 offer a home time-of-use rate and 5,685 homes are on dynamic pricing.

    Massachusetts counties by electric heating

    Largest electric share first, then the smallest; 13 counties.

    Massachusetts countyMassachusetts residentsMassachusetts electric heatMassachusetts utility gasMassachusetts propaneMassachusetts median income
    Suffolk County782,17230%57%3%$92,859
    Hampshire County156,59521%30%10%$86,391
    Hampden County462,85320%49%4%$70,535
    Worcester County861,66419%32%5%$93,561
    Norfolk County724,54018%54%3%$126,497
    Dukes County20,75117%5%34%$102,348
    Middlesex County1,622,89617%59%3%$126,779
    Essex County807,25817%56%4%$99,431
    Franklin County70,92214%16%11%$72,584
    Bristol County578,43612%57%4%$84,198
    Barnstable County230,07312%62%4%$94,452
    Plymouth County531,88911%47%7%$109,698
    Berkshire County128,04710%42%10%$72,565

    Massachusetts month by month

    MonthMassachusetts electricity ¢/kWhMassachusetts gas $/McfHeat pump $/MMBtuGas furnace $/MMBtuMassachusetts break-even COP
    Jul 202630.49$30.57$29.8$31.12.88
    Jun 202629.61$30.66$28.9$31.22.79
    May 202628.82$31.39$28.2$31.92.65
    Apr 202629.45$29.97$28.8$30.52.83
    Mar 202630.21$27.17$29.5$27.63.21
    Feb 202630.46$26.05$29.8$26.53.37
    Jan 202631.16$25.77$30.4$26.23.49
    Dec 202530.80$25.73$30.1$26.13.45
    Nov 202531.13$22.63$30.4$23.03.97
    Oct 202531.29$22.55$30.6$22.94.00
    Sep 202530.31$27.71$29.6$28.23.16
    Aug 202530.55$28.46$29.8$28.93.10
    Jul 202530.01$28.30$29.3$28.83.06
    Jun 202530.27$26.87$29.6$27.33.25
    May 202529.85$25.47$29.2$25.93.38
    Apr 202530.59$23.76$29.9$24.13.71
    Mar 202530.12$25.04$29.4$25.43.47
    Feb 202530.31$25.96$29.6$26.43.37
    Jan 202529.96$24.34$29.3$24.73.55

    Heating season

    A normal year in Massachusetts brings 6,134 heating degree-days and 517 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 6,063, 1% below normal; the highest of 2015 to 2025 was 6,268 in 2015.

    Massachusetts degree-days by year

    Heating and cooling degree-days, Massachusetts, 2015 to 2025: 11 rows
    Massachusetts yearHeating (HDD)Cooling (CDD)Normal HDDNormal CDD
    201562685906134517
    201657116666134517
    201757964776134517
    201860617126134517
    201962455776134517
    202055357026134517
    202155156676134517
    202257087086134517
    202352845626134517
    202454586766134517
    202560635806134517

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

    CSV

    Heating degree-days by month

    Heating degree-days by month, Massachusetts: 12 rows
    Month2025Normal
    Jan12161174
    Feb10391006
    Mar758893
    Apr490547
    May209253
    Jun1643
    Jul04
    Aug2312
    Sep7996
    Oct364410
    Nov736694
    Dec11331002

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

    CSV
    Massachusetts, 2025 by month: 12 rows
    MonthHDD 2025HDD normalCDD 2025CDD normal
    Jan1,2161,17400
    Feb1,0391,00600
    Mar75889300
    Apr49054700
    May209253118
    Jun164312076
    Jul04289217
    Aug2312120178
    Sep79964037
    Oct36441001
    Nov73669400
    Dec1,1331,00200

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

    CSV

    Analyst note

    Fuel oil stands out in Massachusetts: 640,814 homes, 23.2%, rank 4 of 45. Main heating fuel in Massachusetts is utility gas (52% of homes); electricity heats 18% and utility gas 52%. Since 2024 electricity moved +3.6% and gas +14.4%; in 2026 to date power is -0.1% and gas +10.7% on a year earlier. A COP 3.0 heat pump trails a furnace here by $4.25 per MMBtu; the break-even COP of 3.50 ranks 23rd of 45. The most electric counties of Massachusetts with 20,000+ residents are led by Suffolk County at 30% of homes. A normal Massachusetts year has 6,134 heating degree-days, and 2025 had 6,063, so heating demand ran 1% below the 1991 to 2020 normal.

    States with a similar break-even

    State near MassachusettsBreak-even COP near MassachusettsGas, $ per MMBtuHeat pump, $ per MMBtu
    Ohio3.52$14.07$16.51
    North Dakota3.59$9.65$11.55
    Vermont3.65$18.29$22.26
    Utah3.69$10.35$12.72
    Pennsylvania3.70$15.28$18.84
    Iowa3.70$10.78$13.31

    Questions on heating in Massachusetts

    How many Massachusetts homes heat with fuel oil?

    640,814 of 2,762,070 homes, 23.2%, ranks 4th of 45 states; oil is not priced in this comparison.

    Is a heat pump cheaper than gas in Massachusetts?

    No on fuel cost: $29.71 per MMBtu against $25.46 for gas, break-even COP 3.50.

    Which Massachusetts county has the most electric heating?

    Suffolk County: 30% of 322,184 homes among counties with 20,000+ residents, median income $92,859.

    What share of Massachusetts homes heat with electricity?

    18% of 2,762,070 occupied homes in ACS 2023, against 52% with utility gas.

    Where does Massachusetts rank on heat pump cost?

    43 of 45 at $29.71 per MMBtu; North Dakota is lowest at $11.55.

    Is Massachusetts a winter or summer electricity state?

    Summer use runs +37% over spring and fall, winter +33%: cooling drives the load.

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

    January to Aug: electricity -0.1%, gas +10.7% on a year earlier.

    How much generating capacity does Massachusetts have?

    12,500 MW operable in 2025, 822 MW under construction, 37 MW planned (EIA-860).

    How many Massachusetts homes have smart meters?

    10.4% of 3,091,348 home meters, 1 of 17 reporting utilities offer time-of-use.

    More on Massachusetts

    Share this page

    With electricity at 30.41 cents per kWh and natural gas at $25.06 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $25.46 from a gas furnace, $29.71 from a heat pump and $89.12…