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 Wisconsin: electricity vs gas

With electricity at 18.08 cents per kWh and natural gas at $10.74 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $10.91 from a gas furnace, $17.66 from a heat pump and $52.99 from resistance heating in Wisconsin.

Your Wisconsin heating cost

    Wisconsin inputs: 18.08 ¢ per kWh, $10.74 per Mcf, fuel only; the need is an illustration. Method.

    The numbers

    Electricity 2025
    18.08 ¢/kWhrank 12 of 45 states by price
    Natural gas 2025
    $10.74 per Mcfrank 38 of 45 states by gas price
    Gas furnace
    $10.91 per MMBtu95% efficiency, rank 38 of 45
    Heat pump
    $17.66 per MMBturank 34 of 45 states, COP 3.0 assumed
    Electric resistance
    $52.99 per MMBtu4.9 times a furnace
    Break-even COP
    4.86a heat pump above it beats gas; rank 43 of 45
    Annual cost at 50 MMBtu
    $883 heat pumpfuel only
    Homes heated by electricity
    17%65% utility gas, 12% propane, 2% oil
    Electricity since 2024
    +5.2%
    Gas since 2024
    +5.9%
    2026 to date
    power +5.7%, gas +9.4%January to Aug against 2025
    Winter load
    +36% over spring and fallsummer +40%: a summer-peaking state
    Heating degree-days, normal year
    7,5281991 to 2020; 2025 had 7,348, rank 7 of 42 states by normal HDD
    Occupied homes in Wisconsin (ACS 2023)
    2,446,028423,487 electric, 1,589,986 utility gas, 290,514 propane, 37,273 oil; 0 of 72 counties are over half electric
    Generating capacity in Wisconsin
    19,148 MWEIA-860 2025; 888 MW under construction

    Wisconsin charts

    One MMBtu of heat in Wisconsin

    $10.91 gas, $17.66 heat pump, $52.99 resistance.

    $ per MMBtu

    • Electric resistance53.0
    • Heat pump, COP 3.017.7
    • Gas furnace, 95%10.9

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

    CSV

    Prices since 2015, Wisconsin

    Electricity $52.99 and gas $10 per MMBtu of energy in 2025.

    Fuel cost per MMBtu, Wisconsin, 2015 to 2025: 11 rows
    YearWisconsin electricityWisconsin gas
    201541.48.2
    201641.27.8
    201742.18.1
    201841.17.8
    201941.67.4
    202042.07.3
    202142.69.4
    202245.810.9
    202349.510.5
    202450.39.8
    202553.010.4

    11 rows from EIA retail sales and natural gas prices.

    CSV

    How Wisconsin heats

    17% electric.

    % of homes

    • Electricity17.3
    • Utility gas65.0
    • Propane11.9
    • Fuel oil1.5
    • Wood2.8

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

    CSV

    Break-even COP by month, Wisconsin

    2.96 to 5.71 across the months shown.

    Break-even COP by month, Wisconsin: 12 rows
    Month20252026
    Jan5.174.67
    Feb5.033.68
    Mar5.145.71
    Apr4.944.50
    May4.944.83
    Jun3.333.11
    Jul3.132.96
    Aug3.20No data
    Sep3.36No data
    Oct5.03No data
    Nov4.86No data
    Dec4.67No data

    12 rows from EIA retail sales.

    CSV

    How Wisconsin homes heat

    Wisconsin main fuelWisconsin homesWisconsin shareWisconsin rank among states
    Electricity423,48717.3%38 of 45
    Utility gas1,589,98665.0%7 of 45
    Propane290,51411.9%7 of 45
    Fuel oil37,2731.5%13 of 45
    Wood67,7552.8%12 of 45

    Wisconsin has 19,148 MW of operable generating capacity (EIA-860, 2025), largest in natural gas at 7,966 MW; 888 MW is under construction and 3,983 MW planned, which matters if heat pumps add winter load.

    81 Wisconsin utilities report meters to EIA-861: 89.8% of 2,892,890 home meters are smart (AMI), 50 offer a home time-of-use rate and 50,196 homes are on dynamic pricing.

    Wisconsin counties by electric heating

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

    Wisconsin countyWisconsin residentsWisconsin electric heatWisconsin utility gasWisconsin propaneWisconsin median income
    La Crosse County120,26228%61%7%$70,704
    Eau Claire County106,32826%57%10%$71,834
    Dane County564,77724%69%5%$88,108
    Dunn County45,34922%34%35%$71,785
    Winnebago County171,35720%71%5%$72,873
    Brown County269,42520%73%3%$77,490
    Washington County137,32019%69%7%$95,851
    Waukesha County409,04018%77%2%$104,100
    Dodge County88,81818%58%16%$73,992
    Rock County163,94418%69%8%$74,390
    Oconto County39,32910%46%32%$75,886
    Vernon County30,91510%34%34%$69,556
    Marinette County41,90710%48%28%$63,401
    Waushara County24,75210%39%39%$64,968
    Shawano County40,92710%46%30%$67,032
    Vilas County23,4109%48%37%$67,132
    Manitowoc County81,3149%73%12%$68,611
    Oneida County38,0079%62%23%$69,621
    Adams County20,9288%29%53%$59,153
    Kewaunee County20,6218%58%22%$80,085

    Wisconsin month by month

    MonthWisconsin electricity ¢/kWhWisconsin gas $/McfHeat pump $/MMBtuGas furnace $/MMBtuWisconsin break-even COP
    Jul 202619.06$18.58$18.6$18.92.96
    Jun 202619.56$18.17$19.1$18.53.11
    May 202619.74$11.79$19.3$12.04.83
    Apr 202619.21$12.32$18.8$12.54.50
    Mar 202618.78$9.48$18.3$9.65.71
    Feb 202618.73$14.70$18.3$14.93.68
    Jan 202618.18$11.24$17.8$11.44.67
    Dec 202517.74$10.96$17.3$11.14.67
    Nov 202518.30$10.86$17.9$11.04.86
    Oct 202518.27$10.47$17.8$10.65.03
    Sep 202518.63$16.01$18.2$16.33.36
    Aug 202518.44$16.64$18.0$16.93.20
    Jul 202518.17$16.74$17.8$17.03.13
    Jun 202518.57$16.09$18.1$16.33.33
    May 202518.85$11.01$18.4$11.24.94
    Apr 202518.12$10.58$17.7$10.74.94
    Mar 202517.65$9.91$17.2$10.15.14
    Feb 202517.32$9.94$16.9$10.15.03
    Jan 202517.28$9.65$16.9$9.85.17

    Heating season

    A normal year in Wisconsin brings 7,528 heating degree-days and 513 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 7,348, 2% below normal; the highest of 2015 to 2025 was 8,025 in 2019.

    Wisconsin degree-days by year

    Heating and cooling degree-days, Wisconsin, 2015 to 2025: 11 rows
    Wisconsin yearHeating (HDD)Cooling (CDD)Normal HDDNormal CDD
    201572144697528513
    201668506427528513
    201770964667528513
    201877976247528513
    201980255167528513
    202071866057528513
    202169346707528513
    202277475367528513
    202366475637528513
    202462935877528513
    202573485897528513

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

    CSV

    Heating degree-days by month

    Heating degree-days by month, Wisconsin: 12 rows
    Month2025Normal
    Jan14891454
    Feb12711210
    Mar8431005
    Apr613615
    May332297
    Jun4772
    Jul922
    Aug4441
    Sep100152
    Oct367509
    Nov843881
    Dec13901270

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

    CSV
    Wisconsin, 2025 by month: 12 rows
    MonthHDD 2025HDD normalCDD 2025CDD normal
    Jan1,4891,45400
    Feb1,2711,21000
    Mar8431,00500
    Apr61361500
    May3322971727
    Jun4772140106
    Jul922237192
    Aug4441132152
    Sep1001525434
    Oct36750992
    Nov84388100
    Dec1,3901,27000

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

    CSV

    Analyst note

    Break-even COP 4.86 is Wisconsin's most unusual heating number, rank 3 of 45. Main heating fuel in Wisconsin is utility gas (65% of homes); electricity heats 17% and utility gas 65%. Since 2024 electricity moved +5.2% and gas +5.9%; in 2026 to date power is +5.7% and gas +9.4% on a year earlier. A COP 3.0 heat pump trails a furnace here by $6.75 per MMBtu; the break-even COP of 4.86 ranks 43rd of 45. The most electric counties of Wisconsin with 20,000+ residents are led by La Crosse County at 28% of homes. A normal Wisconsin year has 7,528 heating degree-days, and 2025 had 7,348, so heating demand ran 2% below the 1991 to 2020 normal.

    States with a similar break-even

    State near WisconsinBreak-even COP near WisconsinGas, $ per MMBtuHeat pump, $ per MMBtu
    New Jersey4.56$14.44$21.96
    Illinois4.53$11.43$17.26
    Idaho4.44$7.81$11.56
    Michigan5.29$11.10$19.57
    New Mexico4.36$9.99$14.51
    New York4.33$17.86$25.78

    Questions on heating in Wisconsin

    Why is the Wisconsin break-even COP low?

    4.86 puts Wisconsin at 3 of 45 states: electricity runs 4.9 times the cost of furnace heat per MMBtu.

    Is a heat pump cheaper than gas in Wisconsin?

    No on fuel cost: $17.66 per MMBtu against $10.91 for gas, break-even COP 4.86.

    Which Wisconsin county has the most electric heating?

    La Crosse County: 28% of 50,543 homes among counties with 20,000+ residents, median income $70,704.

    What share of Wisconsin homes heat with electricity?

    17% of 2,446,028 occupied homes in ACS 2023, against 65% with utility gas.

    Where does Wisconsin rank on heat pump cost?

    34 of 45 at $17.66 per MMBtu; North Dakota is lowest at $11.55.

    Is Wisconsin a winter or summer electricity state?

    Summer use runs +40% over spring and fall, winter +36%: cooling drives the load.

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

    January to Aug: electricity +5.7%, gas +9.4% on a year earlier.

    How much generating capacity does Wisconsin have?

    19,148 MW operable in 2025, 888 MW under construction, 3,983 MW planned (EIA-860).

    How many Wisconsin homes have smart meters?

    89.8% of 2,892,890 home meters, 50 of 81 reporting utilities offer time-of-use.

    More on Wisconsin

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    With electricity at 18.08 cents per kWh and natural gas at $10.74 per Mcf in 2025, one MMBtu of heat costs $10.91 from a gas furnace, $17.66 from a heat pump and $52.99…