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 Ohio: electricity vs gas

With electricity at 16.96 cents per kWh and natural gas at $13.85 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $14.07 from a gas furnace, $16.57 from a heat pump and $49.70 from resistance heating in Ohio.

In Ohio many households choose their energy supplier. How to compare.

Your Ohio heating cost

    Ohio inputs: 16.96 ¢ per kWh, $13.85 per Mcf, fuel only; the need is an illustration. Method.

    The numbers

    Electricity 2025
    16.96 ¢/kWhrank 15 of 45 states by price
    Natural gas 2025
    $13.85 per Mcfrank 26 of 45 states by gas price
    Gas furnace
    $14.07 per MMBtu95% efficiency, rank 26 of 45
    Heat pump
    $16.57 per MMBturank 31 of 45 states, COP 3.0 assumed
    Electric resistance
    $49.70 per MMBtu3.5 times a furnace
    Break-even COP
    3.53a heat pump above it beats gas; rank 24 of 45
    Annual cost at 50 MMBtu
    $828 heat pumpfuel only
    Homes heated by electricity
    26%64% utility gas, 6% propane, 2% oil
    Electricity since 2024
    +6.1%
    Gas since 2024
    +0.6%
    2026 to date
    power +13.0%, gas -26.7%January to Jul against 2025
    Winter load
    +58% over spring and fallsummer +61%: a summer-peaking state
    Heating degree-days, normal year
    6,0621991 to 2020; 2025 had 5,756, rank 19 of 42 states by normal HDD
    Occupied homes in Ohio (ACS 2023)
    4,829,5711,235,472 electric, 3,098,368 utility gas, 272,420 propane, 86,700 oil; 4 of 88 counties are over half electric
    Generating capacity in Ohio
    34,346 MWEIA-860 2025; 2,598 MW under construction

    Ohio charts

    One MMBtu of heat in Ohio

    $14.07 gas, $16.57 heat pump, $49.70 resistance.

    $ per MMBtu

    • Electric resistance49.7
    • Heat pump, COP 3.016.6
    • Gas furnace, 95%14.1

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

    CSV

    Prices since 2015, Ohio

    Electricity $49.70 and gas $13 per MMBtu of energy in 2025.

    Fuel cost per MMBtu, Ohio, 2015 to 2025: 11 rows
    YearOhio electricityOhio gas
    201537.59.2
    201636.58.7
    201737.09.4
    201836.88.8
    201936.39.2
    202036.09.2
    202137.410.7
    202240.612.6
    202345.113.2
    202446.913.3
    202549.713.4

    11 rows from EIA retail sales and natural gas prices.

    CSV

    How Ohio heats

    26% electric.

    % of homes

    • Electricity25.6
    • Utility gas64.2
    • Propane5.6
    • Fuel oil1.8
    • Wood1.5

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

    CSV

    Break-even COP by month, Ohio

    1.07 to 4.94 across the months shown.

    Break-even COP by month, Ohio: 12 rows
    Month20252026
    Jan4.944.60
    Feb4.663.94
    Mar4.023.94
    Apr3.293.33
    May2.222.47
    Jun1.39No data
    Jul1.13No data
    Aug1.07No data
    Sep1.26No data
    Oct2.24No data
    Nov3.82No data
    Dec4.44No data

    12 rows from EIA retail sales.

    CSV

    How Ohio homes heat

    Ohio main fuelOhio homesOhio shareOhio rank among states
    Electricity1,235,47225.6%29 of 45
    Utility gas3,098,36864.2%8 of 45
    Propane272,4205.6%21 of 45
    Fuel oil86,7001.8%12 of 45
    Wood71,1671.5%21 of 45

    Ohio has 34,346 MW of operable generating capacity (EIA-860, 2025), largest in natural gas at 18,480 MW; 2,598 MW is under construction and 2,076 MW planned, which matters if heat pumps add winter load.

    21 Ohio utilities report meters to EIA-861: 62.3% of 5,208,927 home meters are smart (AMI), 10 offer a home time-of-use rate and 35,826 homes are on dynamic pricing.

    Ohio counties by electric heating

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

    Ohio countyOhio residentsOhio electric heatOhio utility gasOhio propaneOhio median income
    Brown County43,71059%16%13%$69,990
    Adams County27,51055%12%20%$49,521
    Meigs County22,07250%28%15%$46,701
    Gallia County29,16250%20%20%$56,455
    Jackson County32,58849%33%9%$58,409
    Pike County27,08049%23%21%$49,552
    Clermont County209,86249%38%5%$83,178
    Highland County43,40348%23%14%$62,008
    Athens County61,57346%39%9%$53,837
    Ross County76,74846%31%13%$59,819
    Clark County135,44518%72%4%$60,846
    Lorain County314,58818%77%3%$70,693
    Fulton County42,43417%53%26%$72,866
    Cuyahoga County1,249,41816%80%2%$62,823
    Stark County373,76416%77%2%$65,740
    Mahoning County227,06315%78%2%$55,576
    Lake County232,10115%81%1%$77,952
    Holmes County44,31214%58%11%$74,774
    Summit County538,08713%84%2%$71,016
    Trumbull County201,36712%81%2%$55,088

    Ohio month by month

    MonthOhio electricity ¢/kWhOhio gas $/McfHeat pump $/MMBtuGas furnace $/MMBtuOhio break-even COP
    May 202619.52$22.83$19.1$23.22.47
    Apr 202619.49$16.89$19.0$17.23.33
    Mar 202618.78$13.75$18.3$14.03.94
    Feb 202617.52$12.81$17.1$13.03.94
    Jan 202617.59$11.03$17.2$11.24.60
    Dec 202517.31$11.25$16.9$11.44.44
    Nov 202517.66$13.33$17.3$13.53.82
    Oct 202517.85$22.99$17.4$23.42.24
    Sep 202517.61$40.19$17.2$40.81.26
    Aug 202517.59$47.43$17.2$48.21.07
    Jul 202517.38$44.41$17.0$45.11.13
    Jun 202517.50$36.38$17.1$37.01.39
    May 202517.09$22.16$16.7$22.52.22
    Apr 202516.32$14.30$15.9$14.53.29
    Mar 202516.10$11.54$15.7$11.74.02
    Feb 202515.83$9.79$15.5$9.94.66
    Jan 202515.62$9.12$15.3$9.34.94

    Heating season

    A normal year in Ohio brings 6,062 heating degree-days and 727 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 5,756, 5% below normal; the highest of 2015 to 2025 was 5,765 in 2018.

    Ohio degree-days by year

    Heating and cooling degree-days, Ohio, 2015 to 2025: 11 rows
    Ohio yearHeating (HDD)Cooling (CDD)Normal HDDNormal CDD
    201556747926062727
    2016523810446062727
    201750727336062727
    2018576510626062727
    201955719456062727
    202052508766062727
    202152139286062727
    202256988636062727
    202348866896062727
    202447039986062727
    202557569096062727

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

    CSV

    Heating degree-days by month

    Heating degree-days by month, Ohio: 12 rows
    Month2025Normal
    Jan13261189
    Feb9821024
    Mar619836
    Apr397476
    May219210
    Jun834
    Jul04
    Aug1515
    Sep5790
    Oct316387
    Nov717723
    Dec11001074

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

    CSV
    Ohio, 2025 by month: 12 rows
    MonthHDD 2025HDD normalCDD 2025CDD normal
    Jan1,3261,18900
    Feb9821,02400
    Mar61983641
    Apr39747601
    May2192103650
    Jun834229148
    Jul04352247
    Aug1515177199
    Sep579010175
    Oct316387106
    Nov71772300
    Dec1,1001,07400

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

    CSV

    Analyst note

    Utility gas stands out in Ohio: 64.2% of 4,829,571 homes, rank 8 of 45. Main heating fuel in Ohio is utility gas (64% of homes); electricity heats 26% and utility gas 64%. Since 2024 electricity moved +6.1% and gas +0.6%; in 2026 to date power is +13.0% and gas -26.7% on a year earlier. A COP 3.0 heat pump trails a furnace here by $2.50 per MMBtu; the break-even COP of 3.53 ranks 24 of 45. The most electric counties of Ohio with 20,000+ residents are led by Brown County at 59% of homes. A normal Ohio year has 6,062 heating degree-days, and 2025 had 5,756, so heating demand ran 5% below the 1991 to 2020 normal.

    States with a similar break-even

    State near OhioBreak-even COP near OhioGas, $ per MMBtuHeat pump, $ per MMBtu
    Massachusetts3.51$25.46$29.78
    North Dakota3.59$9.65$11.54
    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 Ohio

    How much of Ohio relies on utility gas for heat?

    64.2% of homes, 3,098,368 of 4,829,571, ranks 8 of 45 states.

    Is a heat pump cheaper than gas in Ohio?

    No on fuel cost: $16.57 per MMBtu against $14.07 for gas, break-even COP 3.53.

    Which Ohio county has the most electric heating?

    Brown County: 59% of 17,145 homes among counties with 20,000+ residents, median income $69,990.

    What share of Ohio homes heat with electricity?

    26% of 4,829,571 occupied homes in ACS 2023, against 64% with utility gas.

    Where does Ohio rank on heat pump cost?

    31 of 45 at $16.57 per MMBtu; North Dakota is lowest at $11.54.

    Is Ohio a winter or summer electricity state?

    Summer use runs +61% over spring and fall, winter +58%: cooling drives the load.

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

    January to Jul: electricity +13.0%, gas -26.7% on a year earlier.

    How much generating capacity does Ohio have?

    34,346 MW operable in 2025, 2,598 MW under construction, 2,076 MW planned (EIA-860).

    How many Ohio homes have smart meters?

    62.3% of 5,208,927 home meters, 10 of 21 reporting utilities offer time-of-use.

    More on Ohio

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    With electricity at 16.96 cents per kWh and natural gas at $13.85 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $14.07 from a gas furnace, $16.57 from a heat pump and $49.70…