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 South Dakota: electricity vs gas

With electricity at 13.38 cents per kWh and natural gas at $9.86 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $10.02 from a gas furnace, $13.07 from a heat pump and $39.21 from resistance heating in South Dakota.

Your South Dakota heating cost

    South Dakota inputs: 13.38 ¢ per kWh, $9.86 per Mcf, fuel only; the need is an illustration. Method.

    The numbers

    Electricity 2025
    13.38 ¢/kWhrank 32 of 45 states by price
    Natural gas 2025
    $9.86 per Mcfrank 41 of 45 states by gas price
    Gas furnace
    $10.02 per MMBtu95% efficiency, rank 41 of 45
    Heat pump
    $13.07 per MMBturank 13 of 45 states, COP 3.0 assumed
    Electric resistance
    $39.21 per MMBtu3.9 times a furnace
    Break-even COP
    3.91a heat pump above it beats gas; rank 32 of 45
    Annual cost at 50 MMBtu
    $654 heat pumpfuel only
    Homes heated by electricity
    33%47% utility gas, 16% propane, 1% oil
    Electricity since 2024
    +4.0%
    Gas since 2024
    +5.8%
    2026 to date
    power +10.3%, gas +2.6%January to Jul against 2025
    Winter load
    +56% over spring and fallsummer +22%: a winter-peaking state
    Heating degree-days, normal year
    7,9771991 to 2020; 2025 had 7,170, rank 6 of 42 states by normal HDD
    Occupied homes in South Dakota (ACS 2023)
    358,552117,036 electric, 169,221 utility gas, 55,787 propane, 4,900 oil; 2 of 66 counties are over half electric
    Generating capacity in South Dakota
    7,669 MWEIA-860 2025; 5 MW under construction

    South Dakota charts

    One MMBtu of heat in South Dakota

    $10.02 gas, $13.07 heat pump, $39.21 resistance.

    $ per MMBtu

    • Electric resistance39.2
    • Heat pump, COP 3.013.1
    • Gas furnace, 95%10.0

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

    CSV

    Prices since 2015, South Dakota

    Electricity $39.21 and gas $10 per MMBtu of energy in 2025.

    Fuel cost per MMBtu, South Dakota, 2015 to 2025: 11 rows
    YearSouth Dakota electricitySouth Dakota gas
    201532.58.0
    201633.67.3
    201734.57.9
    201834.07.4
    201933.87.0
    202034.46.9
    202135.89.4
    202235.410.6
    202336.110.0
    202437.79.0
    202539.29.5

    11 rows from EIA retail sales and natural gas prices.

    CSV

    How South Dakota heats

    33% electric.

    % of homes

    • Electricity32.6
    • Utility gas47.2
    • Propane15.6
    • Fuel oil1.4
    • Wood1.2

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

    CSV

    Break-even COP by month, South Dakota

    2.14 to 4.84 across the months shown.

    Break-even COP by month, South Dakota: 12 rows
    Month20252026
    Jan4.264.16
    Feb3.893.38
    Mar3.643.67
    Apr3.433.86
    May3.414.14
    Jun2.822.90
    Jul2.142.49
    Aug2.19No data
    Sep2.44No data
    Oct3.33No data
    Nov4.84No data
    Dec4.11No data

    12 rows from EIA retail sales.

    CSV

    How South Dakota homes heat

    South Dakota main fuelSouth Dakota homesSouth Dakota shareSouth Dakota rank among states
    Electricity117,03632.6%23 of 45
    Utility gas169,22147.2%26 of 45
    Propane55,78715.6%3 of 45
    Fuel oil4,9001.4%15 of 45
    Wood4,4091.2%27 of 45

    South Dakota has 7,669 MW of operable generating capacity (EIA-860, 2025), largest in wind at 3,457 MW; 5 MW is under construction and 376 MW planned, which matters if heat pumps add winter load.

    9 South Dakota utilities report meters to EIA-861: 78.5% of 451,445 home meters are smart (AMI), 5 offer a home time-of-use rate and 11,954 homes are on dynamic pricing.

    South Dakota counties by electric heating

    Largest electric share first, then the smallest; 9 counties.

    South Dakota countySouth Dakota residentsSouth Dakota electric heatSouth Dakota utility gasSouth Dakota propaneSouth Dakota median income
    Brown County38,07942%46%8%$70,239
    Brookings County34,96838%43%16%$67,341
    Codington County28,55635%55%7%$65,080
    Pennington County112,08132%58%6%$70,768
    Meade County30,29732%47%17%$74,161
    Lawrence County26,57431%55%10%$66,766
    Minnehaha County200,68929%64%5%$76,074
    Yankton County23,37928%55%14%$73,855
    Lincoln County68,28626%65%7%$96,552

    South Dakota month by month

    MonthSouth Dakota electricity ¢/kWhSouth Dakota gas $/McfHeat pump $/MMBtuGas furnace $/MMBtuSouth Dakota break-even COP
    Jul 202615.37$17.77$15.0$18.12.49
    Jun 202615.36$15.26$15.0$15.52.90
    May 202615.73$10.95$15.4$11.14.14
    Apr 202614.52$10.86$14.2$11.03.86
    Mar 202614.29$11.23$14.0$11.43.67
    Feb 202613.24$11.29$12.9$11.53.38
    Jan 202613.60$9.42$13.3$9.64.16
    Dec 202512.51$8.78$12.2$8.94.11
    Nov 202513.81$8.23$13.5$8.44.84
    Oct 202514.09$12.20$13.8$12.43.33
    Sep 202514.76$17.48$14.4$17.82.44
    Aug 202513.98$18.45$13.7$18.72.19
    Jul 202514.52$19.60$14.2$19.92.14
    Jun 202514.22$14.54$13.9$14.82.82
    May 202514.33$12.12$14.0$12.33.41
    Apr 202513.37$11.24$13.1$11.43.43
    Mar 202512.75$10.09$12.5$10.33.64
    Feb 202511.84$8.77$11.6$8.93.89
    Jan 202512.08$8.18$11.8$8.34.26

    Heating season

    A normal year in South Dakota brings 7,977 heating degree-days and 672 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 7,170, 10% below normal; the highest of 2015 to 2025 was 8,627 in 2019.

    South Dakota degree-days by year

    Heating and cooling degree-days, South Dakota, 2015 to 2025: 11 rows
    South Dakota yearHeating (HDD)Cooling (CDD)Normal HDDNormal CDD
    201570026907977672
    201668067837977672
    201772186947977672
    201882027567977672
    201986276287977672
    202073767957977672
    202170369107977672
    202279548407977672
    202373698067977672
    202468037597977672
    202571707657977672

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

    CSV

    Heating degree-days by month

    Heating degree-days by month, South Dakota: 12 rows
    Month2025Normal
    Jan14881521
    Feb13741257
    Mar7951052
    Apr581598
    May276302
    Jun6798
    Jul2228
    Aug2735
    Sep106189
    Oct377528
    Nov820983
    Dec12371386

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

    CSV
    South Dakota, 2025 by month: 12 rows
    MonthHDD 2025HDD normalCDD 2025CDD normal
    Jan1,4881,52100
    Feb1,3741,25700
    Mar7951,05230
    Apr58159801
    May2763023233
    Jun6798161128
    Jul2228263259
    Aug2735198197
    Sep10618910153
    Oct37752871
    Nov82098300
    Dec1,2371,38600

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

    CSV

    Analyst note

    Propane stands out in South Dakota: 55,787 homes, 15.6%, rank 3 of 45. Main heating fuel in South Dakota is utility gas (47% of homes); electricity heats 33% and utility gas 47%. Since 2024 electricity moved +4.0% and gas +5.8%; in 2026 to date power is +10.3% and gas +2.6% on a year earlier. A COP 3.0 heat pump trails a furnace here by $3.05 per MMBtu; the break-even COP of 3.91 ranks 32 of 45. The most electric counties of South Dakota with 20,000+ residents are led by Brown County at 42% of homes. A normal South Dakota year has 7,977 heating degree-days, and 2025 had 7,170, so heating demand ran 10% below the 1991 to 2020 normal.

    States with a similar break-even

    State near South DakotaBreak-even COP near South DakotaGas, $ per MMBtuHeat pump, $ per MMBtu
    New Hampshire3.81$18.91$23.99
    District of Columbia3.79$16.95$21.43
    Indiana4.07$11.67$15.86
    Colorado4.09$11.35$15.48
    Iowa3.73$10.78$13.40
    Pennsylvania3.70$15.28$18.85

    Questions on heating in South Dakota

    How many South Dakota homes heat with propane?

    55,787 of 358,552 homes, 15.6%, ranks 3 of 45 states; propane is not priced in this comparison.

    Is a heat pump cheaper than gas in South Dakota?

    No on fuel cost: $13.07 per MMBtu against $10.02 for gas, break-even COP 3.91.

    Which South Dakota county has the most electric heating?

    Brown County: 42% of 16,364 homes among counties with 20,000+ residents, median income $70,239.

    What share of South Dakota homes heat with electricity?

    33% of 358,552 occupied homes in ACS 2023, against 47% with utility gas.

    Where does South Dakota rank on heat pump cost?

    13 of 45 at $13.07 per MMBtu; North Dakota is lowest at $11.54.

    Is South Dakota a winter or summer electricity state?

    Winter use runs +56% over spring and fall, summer +22%: heating drives the load.

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

    January to Jul: electricity +10.3%, gas +2.6% on a year earlier.

    How much generating capacity does South Dakota have?

    7,669 MW operable in 2025, 5 MW under construction, 376 MW planned (EIA-860).

    How many South Dakota homes have smart meters?

    78.5% of 451,445 home meters, 5 of 9 reporting utilities offer time-of-use.

    More on South Dakota

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    With electricity at 13.38 cents per kWh and natural gas at $9.86 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $10.02 from a gas furnace, $13.07 from a heat pump and $39.21…