Heat pump cost by state
What an air-source heat pump costs installed in a 1,800 square foot home, sized for each state's climate, and how long the running-cost saving takes to repay the extra over a gas furnace. Fastest first.
The extra cost over a furnace comes back in 38 of the 51 states. In the rest, gas is cheap enough that a heat pump costs more to buy and more to run, and the reason to fit one has to be something other than the bill. 22 states are cold enough to want a cold-climate model, which adds to the price.
| State | Installed | Breaks even |
|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | $9,800–$14,800 | 2.3 yrs |
| Oklahoma | $7,800–$11,800 | 2.4 yrs |
| Kentucky | $8,600–$13,000 | 2.6 yrs |
| Wyoming | $9,800–$14,800 | 2.9 yrs |
| Georgia | $7,000–$10,600 | 3 yrs |
| Missouri | $8,600–$13,000 | 3.4 yrs |
| Delaware | $8,600–$13,000 | 3.7 yrs |
| North Carolina | $7,800–$11,800 | 4.1 yrs |
| Nebraska | $9,800–$14,800 | 4.2 yrs |
| Vermont | $9,800–$14,800 | 4.2 yrs |
| Maine | $9,800–$14,800 | 4.3 yrs |
| Washington | $8,600–$13,000 | 4.8 yrs |
| Arkansas | $7,800–$11,800 | 5 yrs |
| Pennsylvania | $8,600–$13,000 | 5 yrs |
| Virginia | $8,600–$13,000 | 5.2 yrs |
| Iowa | $9,800–$14,800 | 5.4 yrs |
| Kansas | $8,600–$13,000 | 5.4 yrs |
| Mississippi | $7,000–$10,600 | 5.4 yrs |
| South Carolina | $7,000–$10,600 | 5.7 yrs |
| Texas | $7,000–$10,600 | 5.7 yrs |
| West Virginia | $8,600–$13,000 | 5.7 yrs |
| Oregon | $8,600–$13,000 | 7.5 yrs |
| Indiana | $9,800–$14,800 | 8.1 yrs |
| Tennessee | $7,800–$11,800 | 8.3 yrs |
| Alabama | $7,000–$10,600 | 8.5 yrs |
| District of Columbia | $8,600–$13,000 | 9.2 yrs |
| Louisiana | $7,000–$10,600 | 9.9 yrs |
| Arizona | $7,000–$10,600 | 10 yrs |
| Ohio | $9,800–$14,800 | 13.5 yrs |
| South Dakota | $9,800–$14,800 | 14.3 yrs |
| Maryland | $8,600–$13,000 | 17.2 yrs |
| Nevada | $8,600–$13,000 | 20.3 yrs |
| Illinois | $9,800–$14,800 | 22 yrs |
| New York | $9,800–$14,800 | 28.4 yrs |
| Florida | $6,200–$9,400 | 31.6 yrs |
| Colorado | $9,800–$14,800 | 50.9 yrs |
| Massachusetts | $9,800–$14,800 | 62.1 yrs |
| Minnesota | $9,800–$14,800 | 150 yrs |
| Alaska | $9,800–$14,800 | Never |
| California | $7,000–$10,600 | Never |
| Connecticut | $9,800–$14,800 | Never |
| Hawaii | $6,200–$9,400 | Never |
| Idaho | $9,800–$14,800 | Never |
| Michigan | $9,800–$14,800 | Never |
| Montana | $9,800–$14,800 | Never |
| New Hampshire | $9,800–$14,800 | Never |
| New Jersey | $8,600–$13,000 | Never |
| New Mexico | $8,600–$13,000 | Never |
| Rhode Island | $8,600–$13,000 | Never |
| Utah | $9,800–$14,800 | Never |
| Wisconsin | $9,800–$14,800 | Never |
"Breaks even" is the extra cost over replacing a gas furnace, divided by the annual running-cost saving. It leaves out one thing in the heat pump's favour: it cools as well, so if your air conditioner is also near the end, you are replacing two machines with one and the premium is smaller than shown.