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 Minnesota: electricity vs gas

With electricity at 15.83 cents per kWh and natural gas at $10.98 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $11.16 from a gas furnace, $15.46 from a heat pump and $46.39 from resistance heating in Minnesota.

Your Minnesota heating cost

    Minnesota inputs: 15.83 ¢ per kWh, $10.98 per Mcf, fuel only; the need is an illustration. Method.

    The numbers

    Electricity 2025
    15.83 ¢/kWhrank 18 of 45 states by price
    Natural gas 2025
    $10.98 per Mcfrank 36 of 45 states by gas price
    Gas furnace
    $11.16 per MMBtu95% efficiency, rank 36 of 45
    Heat pump
    $15.46 per MMBturank 28 of 45 states, COP 3.0 assumed
    Electric resistance
    $46.39 per MMBtu4.2 times a furnace
    Break-even COP
    4.16a heat pump above it beats gas; rank 36 of 45
    Annual cost at 50 MMBtu
    $773 heat pumpfuel only
    Homes heated by electricity
    19%65% utility gas, 11% propane, 1% oil
    Electricity since 2024
    +2.5%
    Gas since 2024
    +3.1%
    2026 to date
    power +4.2%, gas -2.6%January to Aug against 2025
    Winter load
    +39% over spring and fallsummer +31%: a winter-peaking state
    Heating degree-days, normal year
    8,5341991 to 2020; 2025 had 8,147, rank 3 of 42 states by normal HDD
    Occupied homes in Minnesota (ACS 2023)
    2,282,967430,264 electric, 1,491,263 utility gas, 249,633 propane, 30,275 oil; 0 of 87 counties are over half electric
    Generating capacity in Minnesota
    19,837 MWEIA-860 2025; 300 MW under construction

    Minnesota charts

    One MMBtu of heat in Minnesota

    $11.16 gas, $15.46 heat pump, $46.39 resistance.

    $ per MMBtu

    • Electric resistance46.4
    • Heat pump, COP 3.015.5
    • Gas furnace, 95%11.2

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

    CSV

    Prices since 2015, Minnesota

    Electricity $46.39 and gas $11 per MMBtu of energy in 2025.

    Fuel cost per MMBtu, Minnesota, 2015 to 2025: 11 rows
    YearMinnesota electricityMinnesota gas
    201535.58.5
    201637.17.7
    201738.28.2
    201838.58.4
    201938.27.8
    202038.67.8
    202139.69.1
    202241.811.7
    202343.211.5
    202445.310.3
    202546.410.6

    11 rows from EIA retail sales and natural gas prices.

    CSV

    How Minnesota heats

    19% electric.

    % of homes

    • Electricity18.8
    • Utility gas65.3
    • Propane10.9
    • Fuel oil1.3
    • Wood1.7

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

    CSV

    Break-even COP by month, Minnesota

    2.69 to 5.65 across the months shown.

    Break-even COP by month, Minnesota: 12 rows
    Month20252026
    Jan3.713.86
    Feb3.793.40
    Mar3.923.70
    Apr3.934.42
    May3.564.03
    Jun3.493.42
    Jul2.822.91
    Aug2.69No data
    Sep3.06No data
    Oct4.69No data
    Nov5.65No data
    Dec4.57No data

    12 rows from EIA retail sales.

    CSV

    How Minnesota homes heat

    Minnesota main fuelMinnesota homesMinnesota shareMinnesota rank among states
    Electricity430,26418.8%35 of 45
    Utility gas1,491,26365.3%6 of 45
    Propane249,63310.9%9 of 45
    Fuel oil30,2751.3%17 of 45
    Wood38,6531.7%18 of 45

    Minnesota has 19,837 MW of operable generating capacity (EIA-860, 2025), largest in natural gas at 6,370 MW; 300 MW is under construction and 908 MW planned, which matters if heat pumps add winter load.

    37 Minnesota utilities report meters to EIA-861: 87.5% of 2,724,145 home meters are smart (AMI), 21 offer a home time-of-use rate and 68,238 homes are on dynamic pricing.

    Minnesota counties by electric heating

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

    Minnesota countyMinnesota residentsMinnesota electric heatMinnesota utility gasMinnesota propaneMinnesota median income
    Clay County65,62834%49%10%$77,664
    Lyon County25,49834%39%22%$72,761
    Stearns County159,35828%52%14%$76,447
    Becker County35,26028%30%29%$71,117
    Beltrami County46,42128%31%31%$67,257
    Otter Tail County60,28128%31%29%$70,912
    Hubbard County21,70027%17%40%$70,622
    Benton County41,45826%51%14%$71,480
    Winona County49,70525%54%15%$70,198
    Polk County30,90525%41%24%$69,136
    Morrison County34,13113%40%28%$68,640
    Mille Lacs County26,91212%42%35%$71,455
    Anoka County367,09512%83%2%$98,764
    Wabasha County21,51912%43%36%$80,133
    Pine County29,41112%30%43%$69,666
    Chisago County57,43412%66%17%$98,260
    Isanti County41,93411%50%31%$86,573
    Le Sueur County28,93610%66%18%$90,218
    Fillmore County21,34610%48%33%$75,225
    Dodge County20,96210%60%25%$92,943

    Minnesota month by month

    MonthMinnesota electricity ¢/kWhMinnesota gas $/McfHeat pump $/MMBtuGas furnace $/MMBtuMinnesota break-even COP
    Jul 202617.45$17.28$17.0$17.62.91
    Jun 202617.52$14.79$17.1$15.03.42
    May 202616.95$12.13$16.6$12.34.03
    Apr 202616.39$10.70$16.0$10.94.42
    Mar 202615.69$12.24$15.3$12.43.70
    Feb 202615.37$13.03$15.0$13.23.40
    Jan 202614.96$11.17$14.6$11.33.86
    Dec 202514.94$9.43$14.6$9.64.57
    Nov 202515.65$7.99$15.3$8.15.65
    Oct 202516.34$10.04$16.0$10.24.69
    Sep 202517.07$16.07$16.7$16.33.06
    Aug 202516.89$18.13$16.5$18.42.69
    Jul 202516.90$17.31$16.5$17.62.82
    Jun 202517.32$14.33$16.9$14.63.49
    May 202515.82$12.82$15.5$13.03.56
    Apr 202515.08$11.07$14.7$11.23.93
    Mar 202515.09$11.09$14.7$11.33.92
    Feb 202514.60$11.12$14.3$11.33.79
    Jan 202514.51$11.28$14.2$11.53.71

    Heating season

    A normal year in Minnesota brings 8,534 heating degree-days and 455 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 8,147, 5% below normal; the highest of 2015 to 2025 was 9,326 in 2019.

    Minnesota degree-days by year

    Heating and cooling degree-days, Minnesota, 2015 to 2025: 11 rows
    Minnesota yearHeating (HDD)Cooling (CDD)Normal HDDNormal CDD
    201578894668534455
    201675945088534455
    201781454018534455
    201890085578534455
    201993264368534455
    202083105528534455
    202178266518534455
    202291234968534455
    202378095828534455
    202472155358534455
    202581475248534455

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

    CSV

    Heating degree-days by month

    Heating degree-days by month, Minnesota: 12 rows
    Month2025Normal
    Jan16621652
    Feb14681362
    Mar9421111
    Apr655665
    May278319
    Jun8087
    Jul1931
    Aug4452
    Sep116195
    Oct421590
    Nov9101015
    Dec15521455

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

    CSV
    Minnesota, 2025 by month: 12 rows
    MonthHDD 2025HDD normalCDD 2025CDD normal
    Jan1,6621,65200
    Feb1,4681,36200
    Mar9421,11100
    Apr65566500
    May2783192825
    Jun808710197
    Jul1931201178
    Aug4452130127
    Sep1161955828
    Oct42159060
    Nov9101,01500
    Dec1,5521,45500

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

    CSV

    Analyst note

    Cold stands out in Minnesota: 8,534 heating degree-days in a normal year, rank 3 of 42. Main heating fuel in Minnesota is utility gas (65% of homes); electricity heats 19% and utility gas 65%. Since 2024 electricity moved +2.5% and gas +3.1%; in 2026 to date power is +4.2% and gas -2.6% on a year earlier. A COP 3.0 heat pump trails a furnace here by $4.31 per MMBtu; the break-even COP of 4.16 ranks 36th of 45. The most electric counties of Minnesota with 20,000+ residents are led by Clay County at 34% of homes. A normal Minnesota year has 8,534 heating degree-days, and 2025 had 8,147, so heating demand ran 5% below the 1991 to 2020 normal.

    States with a similar break-even

    State near MinnesotaBreak-even COP near MinnesotaGas, $ per MMBtuHeat pump, $ per MMBtu
    Montana4.17$9.13$12.69
    California4.11$22.36$30.63
    Colorado4.05$11.35$15.33
    Indiana4.01$11.67$15.59
    New York4.33$17.86$25.78
    New Mexico4.36$9.99$14.51

    Questions on heating in Minnesota

    How cold is a normal Minnesota winter?

    8,534 heating degree-days a year in 1991 to 2020, rank 3 of 42 states; 2025 had 8,147.

    Is a heat pump cheaper than gas in Minnesota?

    No on fuel cost: $15.46 per MMBtu against $11.16 for gas, break-even COP 4.16.

    Which Minnesota county has the most electric heating?

    Clay County: 34% of 25,939 homes among counties with 20,000+ residents, median income $77,664.

    What share of Minnesota homes heat with electricity?

    19% of 2,282,967 occupied homes in ACS 2023, against 65% with utility gas.

    Where does Minnesota rank on heat pump cost?

    28 of 45 at $15.46 per MMBtu; North Dakota is lowest at $11.55.

    Is Minnesota a winter or summer electricity state?

    Winter use runs +39% over spring and fall, summer +31%: heating drives the load.

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

    January to Aug: electricity +4.2%, gas -2.6% on a year earlier.

    How much generating capacity does Minnesota have?

    19,837 MW operable in 2025, 300 MW under construction, 908 MW planned (EIA-860).

    How many Minnesota homes have smart meters?

    87.5% of 2,724,145 home meters, 21 of 37 reporting utilities offer time-of-use.

    More on Minnesota

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    With electricity at 15.83 cents per kWh and natural gas at $10.98 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $11.16 from a gas furnace, $15.46 from a heat pump and $46.39…