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 Nebraska: electricity vs gas

With electricity at 12.05 cents per kWh and natural gas at $11.40 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $11.58 from a gas furnace, $11.77 from a heat pump and $35.32 from resistance heating in Nebraska.

Your Nebraska heating cost

    Nebraska inputs: 12.05 ¢ per kWh, $11.4 per Mcf, fuel only; the need is an illustration. Method.

    The numbers

    Electricity 2025
    12.05 ¢/kWhrank 43 of 45 states by price
    Natural gas 2025
    $11.40 per Mcfrank 33 of 45 states by gas price
    Gas furnace
    $11.58 per MMBtu95% efficiency, rank 33 of 45
    Heat pump
    $11.77 per MMBturank 3 of 45 states, COP 3.0 assumed
    Electric resistance
    $35.32 per MMBtu3.0 times a furnace
    Break-even COP
    3.05a heat pump above it beats gas; rank 18 of 45
    Annual cost at 50 MMBtu
    $589 heat pumpfuel only
    Homes heated by electricity
    31%59% utility gas, 7% propane, 0% oil
    Electricity since 2024
    +4.5%
    Gas since 2024
    +7.2%
    2026 to date
    power +8.3%, gas -0.5%January to Aug against 2025
    Winter load
    +61% over spring and fallsummer +52%: a winter-peaking state
    Heating degree-days, normal year
    6,2811991 to 2020; 2025 had 5,793, rank 14 of 42 states by normal HDD
    Occupied homes in Nebraska (ACS 2023)
    786,885245,560 electric, 467,274 utility gas, 55,562 propane, 2,747 oil; 2 of 93 counties are over half electric
    Generating capacity in Nebraska
    12,144 MWEIA-860 2025; 8 MW under construction

    Nebraska charts

    One MMBtu of heat in Nebraska

    $11.58 gas, $11.77 heat pump, $35.32 resistance.

    $ per MMBtu

    • Electric resistance35.3
    • Heat pump, COP 3.011.8
    • Gas furnace, 95%11.6

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

    CSV

    Prices since 2015, Nebraska

    Electricity $35.32 and gas $11 per MMBtu of energy in 2025.

    Fuel cost per MMBtu, Nebraska, 2015 to 2025: 11 rows
    YearNebraska electricityNebraska gas
    201531.18.6
    201631.87.7
    201732.18.7
    201831.48.2
    201931.67.6
    202031.77.8
    202131.59.3
    202231.612.4
    202332.812.6
    202433.810.3
    202535.311.0

    11 rows from EIA retail sales and natural gas prices.

    CSV

    How Nebraska heats

    31% electric.

    % of homes

    • Electricity31.2
    • Utility gas59.4
    • Propane7.1
    • Fuel oil0.3
    • Wood0.9

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

    CSV

    Break-even COP by month, Nebraska

    1.49 to 3.81 across the months shown.

    Break-even COP by month, Nebraska: 12 rows
    Month20252026
    Jan3.263.24
    Feb3.373.09
    Mar3.633.09
    Apr3.353.81
    May2.462.52
    Jun2.001.90
    Jul1.641.61
    Aug1.49No data
    Sep1.52No data
    Oct1.62No data
    Nov2.58No data
    Dec3.16No data

    12 rows from EIA retail sales.

    CSV

    How Nebraska homes heat

    Nebraska main fuelNebraska homesNebraska shareNebraska rank among states
    Electricity245,56031.2%24 of 45
    Utility gas467,27459.4%14 of 45
    Propane55,5627.1%16 of 45
    Fuel oil2,7470.3%26 of 45
    Wood7,0360.9%33 of 45

    Nebraska has 12,144 MW of operable generating capacity (EIA-860, 2025), largest in coal at 3,970 MW; 8 MW is under construction and 2,089 MW planned, which matters if heat pumps add winter load.

    14 Nebraska utilities report meters to EIA-861: 31.1% of 915,461 home meters are smart (AMI), 3 offer a home time-of-use rate and 1,812 homes are on dynamic pricing.

    Nebraska counties by electric heating

    Largest electric share first, then the smallest; 17 counties.

    Nebraska countyNebraska residentsNebraska electric heatNebraska utility gasNebraska propaneNebraska median income
    Platte County34,35862%30%6%$72,335
    Dawson County24,02049%40%8%$65,383
    Buffalo County50,32342%52%4%$74,570
    Dakota County21,33141%50%7%$71,655
    Gage County21,64641%46%10%$64,426
    Saunders County22,76139%31%22%$89,395
    Madison County35,53537%53%7%$64,637
    Dodge County37,14636%55%7%$71,294
    Lancaster County323,67335%60%3%$72,625
    Scotts Bluff County35,93733%59%6%$60,960
    Adams County31,03433%60%5%$65,680
    Cass County26,96333%44%19%$88,255
    Washington County20,98930%46%18%$90,188
    Hall County62,43129%66%3%$67,549
    Lincoln County34,12227%60%10%$64,342
    Sarpy County194,05125%73%2%$101,402
    Douglas County585,46125%73%2%$79,081

    Nebraska month by month

    MonthNebraska electricity ¢/kWhNebraska gas $/McfHeat pump $/MMBtuGas furnace $/MMBtuNebraska break-even COP
    Jul 202613.78$24.69$13.5$25.11.61
    Jun 202613.25$20.10$12.9$20.41.90
    May 202613.59$15.53$13.3$15.82.52
    Apr 202613.29$10.06$13.0$10.23.81
    Mar 202612.91$12.06$12.6$12.33.09
    Feb 202611.60$10.83$11.3$11.03.09
    Jan 202611.59$10.33$11.3$10.53.24
    Dec 202511.24$10.25$11.0$10.43.16
    Nov 202512.13$13.58$11.8$13.82.58
    Oct 202512.74$22.72$12.4$23.11.62
    Sep 202513.46$25.58$13.1$26.01.52
    Aug 202512.80$24.78$12.5$25.21.49
    Jul 202512.52$22.06$12.2$22.41.64
    Jun 202512.92$18.64$12.6$18.92.00
    May 202512.77$14.99$12.5$15.22.46
    Apr 202512.84$11.06$12.5$11.23.35
    Mar 202511.52$9.16$11.3$9.33.63
    Feb 202510.68$9.14$10.4$9.33.37
    Jan 202510.37$9.17$10.1$9.33.26

    Heating season

    A normal year in Nebraska brings 6,281 heating degree-days and 995 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 5,793, 8% below normal; the highest of 2015 to 2025 was 6,863 in 2019.

    Nebraska degree-days by year

    Heating and cooling degree-days, Nebraska, 2015 to 2025: 11 rows
    Nebraska yearHeating (HDD)Cooling (CDD)Normal HDDNormal CDD
    201557809656281995
    2016555711126281995
    2017580710026281995
    2018681611166281995
    2019686310286281995
    2020604910936281995
    2021582511736281995
    2022640311856281995
    2023579811406281995
    2024545011296281995
    2025579311056281995

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

    CSV

    Heating degree-days by month

    Heating degree-days by month, Nebraska: 12 rows
    Month2025Normal
    Jan13071267
    Feb11881030
    Mar623797
    Apr411458
    May191200
    Jun1833
    Jul711
    Aug1517
    Sep67102
    Oct249404
    Nov689799
    Dec10281163

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

    CSV
    Nebraska, 2025 by month: 12 rows
    MonthHDD 2025HDD normalCDD 2025CDD normal
    Jan1,3071,26700
    Feb1,1881,03000
    Mar623797113
    Apr41145853
    May1912005963
    Jun1833257215
    Jul711350331
    Aug1517265270
    Sep67102135104
    Oct249404236
    Nov68979900
    Dec1,0281,16300

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

    CSV

    Analyst note

    Wood stands out in Nebraska: 7,036 homes, 0.9%, rank 33 of 45. Main heating fuel in Nebraska is utility gas (59% of homes); electricity heats 31% and utility gas 59%. Since 2024 electricity moved +4.5% and gas +7.2%; in 2026 to date power is +8.3% and gas -0.5% on a year earlier. A COP 3.0 heat pump trails a furnace here by $0.19 per MMBtu; the break-even COP of 3.05 ranks 18th of 45. The most electric counties of Nebraska with 20,000+ residents are led by Platte County at 62% of homes. A normal Nebraska year has 6,281 heating degree-days, and 2025 had 5,793, so heating demand ran 8% below the 1991 to 2020 normal.

    States with a similar break-even

    State near NebraskaBreak-even COP near NebraskaGas, $ per MMBtuHeat pump, $ per MMBtu
    Delaware3.10$16.23$16.75
    Nevada2.91$13.35$12.95
    West Virginia3.22$14.02$15.03
    Tennessee3.22$12.03$12.91
    Wyoming3.28$11.93$13.06
    Kansas2.81$15.05$14.11

    Questions on heating in Nebraska

    How many Nebraska homes heat with wood?

    7,036 of 786,885 homes, 0.9%, ranks 33rd of 45 states.

    Is a heat pump cheaper than gas in Nebraska?

    No on fuel cost: $11.77 per MMBtu against $11.58 for gas, break-even COP 3.05.

    Which Nebraska county has the most electric heating?

    Platte County: 62% of 13,398 homes among counties with 20,000+ residents, median income $72,335.

    What share of Nebraska homes heat with electricity?

    31% of 786,885 occupied homes in ACS 2023, against 59% with utility gas.

    Where does Nebraska rank on heat pump cost?

    3 of 45 at $11.77 per MMBtu; North Dakota is lowest at $11.55.

    Is Nebraska a winter or summer electricity state?

    Winter use runs +61% over spring and fall, summer +52%: heating drives the load.

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

    January to Aug: electricity +8.3%, gas -0.5% on a year earlier.

    How much generating capacity does Nebraska have?

    12,144 MW operable in 2025, 8 MW under construction, 2,089 MW planned (EIA-860).

    How many Nebraska homes have smart meters?

    31.1% of 915,461 home meters, 3 of 14 reporting utilities offer time-of-use.

    More on Nebraska

    Share this page

    With electricity at 12.05 cents per kWh and natural gas at $11.40 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $11.58 from a gas furnace, $11.77 from a heat pump and $35.32…