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 North Dakota: electricity vs gas

With electricity at 11.81 cents per kWh and natural gas at $9.50 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $9.65 from a gas furnace, $11.54 from a heat pump and $34.61 from resistance heating in North Dakota.

Your North Dakota heating cost

    North Dakota inputs: 11.81 ¢ per kWh, $9.5 per Mcf, fuel only; the need is an illustration. Method.

    The numbers

    Electricity 2025
    11.81 ¢/kWhrank 45 of 45 states by price
    Natural gas 2025
    $9.50 per Mcfrank 43 of 45 states by gas price
    Gas furnace
    $9.65 per MMBtu95% efficiency, rank 43 of 45
    Heat pump
    $11.54 per MMBturank 1 of 45 states, COP 3.0 assumed
    Electric resistance
    $34.61 per MMBtu3.6 times a furnace
    Break-even COP
    3.59a heat pump above it beats gas; rank 25 of 45
    Annual cost at 50 MMBtu
    $577 heat pumpfuel only
    Homes heated by electricity
    40%41% utility gas, 14% propane, 2% oil
    Electricity since 2024
    +2.6%
    Gas since 2024
    +5.7%
    2026 to date
    power +7.4%, gas +8.4%January to Jul against 2025
    Winter load
    +83% over spring and fallsummer +6%: a winter-peaking state
    Heating degree-days, normal year
    9,6191991 to 2020; 2025 had 8,818, rank 1 of 42 states by normal HDD
    Occupied homes in North Dakota (ACS 2023)
    325,079129,646 electric, 134,835 utility gas, 44,535 propane, 5,942 oil; 5 of 53 counties are over half electric
    Generating capacity in North Dakota
    10,973 MWEIA-860 2025; 250 MW under construction

    North Dakota charts

    One MMBtu of heat in North Dakota

    $9.65 gas, $11.54 heat pump, $34.61 resistance.

    $ per MMBtu

    • Electric resistance34.6
    • Heat pump, COP 3.011.5
    • Gas furnace, 95%9.7

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

    CSV

    Prices since 2015, North Dakota

    Electricity $34.61 and gas $9 per MMBtu of energy in 2025.

    Fuel cost per MMBtu, North Dakota, 2015 to 2025: 11 rows
    YearNorth Dakota electricityNorth Dakota gas
    201528.27.9
    201629.87.0
    201730.27.4
    201830.06.9
    201930.26.8
    202030.66.6
    202131.88.8
    202232.010.5
    202332.39.4
    202433.78.7
    202534.69.2

    11 rows from EIA retail sales and natural gas prices.

    CSV

    How North Dakota heats

    40% electric.

    % of homes

    • Electricity39.9
    • Utility gas41.5
    • Propane13.7
    • Fuel oil1.8
    • Wood0.4

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

    CSV

    Break-even COP by month, North Dakota

    1.40 to 4.17 across the months shown.

    Break-even COP by month, North Dakota: 12 rows
    Month20252026
    Jan3.803.76
    Feb3.963.62
    Mar4.094.17
    Apr3.753.92
    May3.183.45
    Jun2.432.24
    Jul1.531.40
    Aug1.41No data
    Sep1.66No data
    Oct2.33No data
    Nov3.58No data
    Dec3.74No data

    12 rows from EIA retail sales.

    CSV

    How North Dakota homes heat

    North Dakota main fuelNorth Dakota homesNorth Dakota shareNorth Dakota rank among states
    Electricity129,64639.9%18 of 45
    Utility gas134,83541.5%28 of 45
    Propane44,53513.7%4 of 45
    Fuel oil5,9421.8%11 of 45
    Wood1,1960.4%39 of 45

    North Dakota has 10,973 MW of operable generating capacity (EIA-860, 2025), largest in wind at 4,729 MW; 250 MW is under construction and 2,441 MW planned, which matters if heat pumps add winter load.

    6 North Dakota utilities report meters to EIA-861: 60.9% of 430,594 home meters are smart (AMI), 5 offer a home time-of-use rate and 34,955 homes are on dynamic pricing.

    North Dakota counties by electric heating

    Largest electric share first, then the smallest; 8 counties.

    North Dakota countyNorth Dakota residentsNorth Dakota electric heatNorth Dakota utility gasNorth Dakota propaneNorth Dakota median income
    Cass County189,28649%43%4%$75,023
    Grand Forks County72,76446%41%8%$68,450
    Williams County39,36843%42%13%$90,224
    Stark County33,11636%54%5%$80,744
    Ward County69,23234%57%7%$79,273
    Stutsman County21,52530%52%13%$60,172
    Burleigh County98,98626%64%7%$84,948
    Morton County33,47918%65%13%$79,483

    North Dakota month by month

    MonthNorth Dakota electricity ¢/kWhNorth Dakota gas $/McfHeat pump $/MMBtuGas furnace $/MMBtuNorth Dakota break-even COP
    Jul 202613.41$27.68$13.1$28.11.40
    Jun 202614.12$18.21$13.8$18.52.24
    May 202613.61$11.39$13.3$11.63.45
    Apr 202612.35$9.08$12.1$9.23.92
    Mar 202611.95$8.27$11.7$8.44.17
    Feb 202611.64$9.27$11.4$9.43.62
    Jan 202610.92$8.38$10.7$8.53.76
    Dec 202511.02$8.49$10.8$8.63.74
    Nov 202511.93$9.61$11.7$9.83.58
    Oct 202512.82$15.85$12.5$16.12.33
    Sep 202513.66$23.73$13.3$24.11.66
    Aug 202512.97$26.53$12.7$27.01.41
    Jul 202513.31$25.06$13.0$25.51.53
    Jun 202513.71$16.28$13.4$16.52.43
    May 202513.10$11.88$12.8$12.13.18
    Apr 202511.72$9.02$11.4$9.23.75
    Mar 202511.11$7.84$10.9$8.04.09
    Feb 202510.23$7.46$10.0$7.63.96
    Jan 20259.95$7.55$9.7$7.73.80

    Heating season

    A normal year in North Dakota brings 9,619 heating degree-days and 423 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 8,818, 8% below normal; the highest of 2015 to 2025 was 10,201 in 2019.

    North Dakota degree-days by year

    Heating and cooling degree-days, North Dakota, 2015 to 2025: 11 rows
    North Dakota yearHeating (HDD)Cooling (CDD)Normal HDDNormal CDD
    201583505019619423
    201680034899619423
    201788284759619423
    201896585269619423
    2019102013929619423
    202088605339619423
    202183736979619423
    202298565319619423
    202389575659619423
    202481875199619423
    202588184759619423

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

    CSV

    Heating degree-days by month

    Heating degree-days by month, North Dakota: 12 rows
    Month2025Normal
    Jan17191819
    Feb16661505
    Mar10261260
    Apr688705
    May289365
    Jun113134
    Jul4147
    Aug5668
    Sep143275
    Oct495655
    Nov9791160
    Dec16031626

    NOAA nClimDiv degree-days for North Dakota by month, 2025.

    CSV
    North Dakota, 2025 by month: 12 rows
    MonthHDD 2025HDD normalCDD 2025CDD normal
    Jan1,7191,81900
    Feb1,6661,50500
    Mar1,0261,26000
    Apr68870501
    May2893652719
    Jun1131348679
    Jul4147167174
    Aug5668132129
    Sep1432756321
    Oct49565500
    Nov9791,16000
    Dec1,6031,62600

    NOAA nClimDiv degree-days for North Dakota, 2025 by month.

    CSV

    Analyst note

    Cold stands out in North Dakota: 9,619 heating degree-days in a normal year, rank 1 of 42. Main heating fuel in North Dakota is utility gas (41% of homes); electricity heats 40% and utility gas 41%. Since 2024 electricity moved +2.6% and gas +5.7%; in 2026 to date power is +7.4% and gas +8.4% on a year earlier. A COP 3.0 heat pump trails a furnace here by $1.88 per MMBtu; the break-even COP of 3.59 ranks 25 of 45. The most electric counties of North Dakota with 20,000+ residents are led by Cass County at 49% of homes. A normal North Dakota year has 9,619 heating degree-days, and 2025 had 8,818, so heating demand ran 8% below the 1991 to 2020 normal.

    States with a similar break-even

    State near North DakotaBreak-even COP near North DakotaGas, $ per MMBtuHeat pump, $ per MMBtu
    Ohio3.53$14.07$16.57
    Massachusetts3.51$25.46$29.78
    Vermont3.67$18.29$22.39
    Utah3.70$10.35$12.77
    Pennsylvania3.70$15.28$18.85
    Iowa3.73$10.78$13.40

    Questions on heating in North Dakota

    How cold is a normal North Dakota winter?

    9,619 heating degree-days a year in 1991 to 2020, rank 1 of 42 states; 2025 had 8,818.

    Is a heat pump cheaper than gas in North Dakota?

    No on fuel cost: $11.54 per MMBtu against $9.65 for gas, break-even COP 3.59.

    Which North Dakota county has the most electric heating?

    Cass County: 49% of 81,668 homes among counties with 20,000+ residents, median income $75,023.

    What share of North Dakota homes heat with electricity?

    40% of 325,079 occupied homes in ACS 2023, against 41% with utility gas.

    Where does North Dakota rank on heat pump cost?

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

    Is North Dakota a winter or summer electricity state?

    Winter use runs +83% over spring and fall, summer +6%: heating drives the load.

    Did gas or electricity get more expensive in North Dakota in 2026?

    January to Jul: electricity +7.4%, gas +8.4% on a year earlier.

    How much generating capacity does North Dakota have?

    10,973 MW operable in 2025, 250 MW under construction, 2,441 MW planned (EIA-860).

    How many North Dakota homes have smart meters?

    60.9% of 430,594 home meters, 5 of 6 reporting utilities offer time-of-use.

    More on North Dakota

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    With electricity at 11.81 cents per kWh and natural gas at $9.50 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $9.65 from a gas furnace, $11.54 from a heat pump and $34.61…