What Does It Cost To Heat a Home in the Winter?

There’s nothing quite like a cozy winter day curled up at home. In cold weather, a toasty night in with a good book or movie can feel heavenly. However, keeping your house heated in freezing outside temperatures can be a costly expense. 

To keep your home running smoothly in the winter, Pam Knox, director of the UGA Weather Network at the University of Georgia, advises homeowners to regularly maintain their home heating systems. A home warranty plan can offer peace of mind by helping homeowners repair or replace furnaces that break down due to normal wear and tear.

The research team at This Old House analyzed natural gas data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration to explore the cost of winter gas bills by state. Unsurprisingly, chillier regions like the Midwest and Northeast showed higher natural gas consumption. The price of natural gas also played a big role in total heating bills, with western and northeastern states touting higher costs. 

Read on to learn more about the cost of winter heating throughout the U.S.

Will Heating Be More Expensive in 2025?

As the year comes to an end and temperatures start to drop, preparing for the upcoming season is top of mind for homeowners. Budgeting for winter expenses—including the cost of heating your home—is an important part of that preparation. Natural gas prices are typically lower in the winter than in the summer months, but consumption is usually higher. The price of residential natural gas fluctuates based on weather, markets, and predicted supply and demand, advises Victor Gensini, associate professor at Northern Illinois University. 

The average cost of natural gas is expected to fall during the 2024–2025 winter season compared to the 2023–2024 season. “Natural gas prices are expected to rise modestly over the next year, but this is uncertain,” says Dylan Brewer, assistant professor at Georgia Tech. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) annual Winter Fuel Outlook, the average price per MCF (thousand cubic feet) of natural gas in the winter of 2023–2024 was $12.95. In the 2024–2025 winter season, the price is projected to drop to $12.47. 

Gas usage is expected to go up this year, raising the average bill despite lower costs. In the winter between 2023 and 2024, the average U.S. household consumed 46 MCF of natural gas for an average bill of $594. This coming winter, the average household is projected to use 48 MCF for an average bill of $602. The table below shows natural gas consumption by region.

Where you live in the U.S. will have a major impact on your gas usage as well. Winters are much colder or warmer depending on location, and natural gas consumption varies accordingly. 

For instance, the Midwest consumes the most natural gas, with an average consumption of 54 MCF during the 2023–2024 winter season. The Northeast is a close second, consuming about 52 MCF during the same period. 

Consumption isn’t the only variable at play in your utility bills. Natural gas costs also vary across the country. Prices are particularly high in the West, with an average cost of $15.54 per MCF last year. The Midwest had the lowest natural gas costs in 2023–2024, at $9.83 per MCF, so despite high consumption, the average bill in the region was only $529. 

Meanwhile, the Northeast faces the highest bills, combining high costs and usage. With a price of $14.54 per MCF in the winter of 2023–2024, the average gas bill was $763.

Coming into the 2024–2025 winter season, both the Northeast and Midwest regions are projected to see higher heating bills, while the South and West are projected to have lower costs.

However, winter weather can be volatile, leading to unpredictable extreme events. Ryan L. Sriver, professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, warns that these extreme outbreaks “can have major impacts on homes and energy infrastructure, especially in areas that are not prepared for extreme cold temperatures.”

What Is the Cost of Winter Gas Bills by State?

To estimate the average winter gas bill by state, we found the average winter price of gas for each state and then multiplied it based on the corresponding region’s gas consumption. Figures are from October 2023 to March 2024. For details on our calculations, please see our methodology.

The highest gas bills can be found in Alaska and states in the Northeast. While natural gas in Alaska is on the less expensive end (averaging $10.98 during the winter months), the average household consumes 97 MCF from November through March. This results in a total bill of $1,066. 

The cheapest bills can be found in Florida and Louisiana, where warm temperatures mean lower consumption, and the Dakotas, which have some of the lowest average prices for gas. Households in Florida only consume 13 MCF during the winter and are estimated to pay only $276.

Are Gas Bills Getting More Expensive?

The price of natural gas for the winter season is expected to fall slightly compared to last year. That said, prices have been trending upward overall. 

In 2022, the yearly average for natural gas was $14.75 per MCF. In 2023, it rose to $15.23—the most expensive natural gas has ever been. Over the last five years, natural gas prices have risen by 45%, up from $10.51 in 2019.

Use the chart below to see how natural gas prices have changed in the United States, then use the drop-down menu to see how prices in your state compare.

How To Prepare Your Home for Winter

Though heating your home in the winter can be expensive, the right preparations can help to reduce your overall costs. Follow these winterization and energy-efficiency tips to keep your bills manageable: 

• Seal your doors and windows: Drafty homes lead to expensive heating bills, so make sure your doors and windows are sealed properly before the winter. “Sealing air leaks around doors, windows, and other drafty spots is a well-proven strategy,” says Stefano Schiavon, professor at UC Berkeley. “Weatherstripping and caulking are quick, affordable solutions to keep warmth inside.” While it’s a more expensive project upfront, installing energy-efficient windows can lead to less energy loss and reduced heating bills. 
• Switch the direction of your ceiling fans: Ceiling fans aren’t just for keeping cool. Most allow you to switch the rotation direction from counter-clockwise to clockwise, which helps to move warm air from near the ceiling down into your living space. 
• Inspect your furnace: Pam Knox, director of the UGA Weather Network at the University of Georgia, says, “Homeowners can prepare by making sure that their furnaces are in top working condition by getting inspections and changing air filters.” Check with your utility company to see if they offer a free audit of residential energy systems. 
• Dress warmly indoors: With the right pair of wool socks and a cozy sweater, you may be comfortable indoors even at lower temps. That way, you don’t have to rely on heating as much and can reduce your bill. 

If you live in an older home, don’t forget to check the insulation and ensure your heating system is up to date, as well.

Expert Tips and Insights

Dylan Brewer, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Georgia Institute of Technology

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What impacts can winter energy costs have on household economics?

There is research studying household decisions to “heat or eat” when temperatures are low and energy prices are high. Winter energy costs have been shown to reduce low-income household spending on food and other goods. These households may also decide to keep their homes at very low temperatures to save on heating costs, which can have negative health consequences and risk freezing pipes.

Why do natural gas prices fluctuate so sporadically?

First, when demand for natural gas is high, prices rise. Natural gas demand tracks closely with temperature, so when an area of the world is experiencing extreme cold, prices will rise everywhere else. Second, when the supply of natural gas is low, prices will also rise. Supply chain disruptions like the Russian-Ukraine war resulted in large natural gas price increases around the world in the last few years.

Dylan Brewer, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of economics at Georgia Institute of Technology. His research uses applied microeconomics to study topics such as residential energy consumption and efficiency, recycling, air quality, and applied econometrics.

Victor Gensini, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Northern Illinois University

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Do you believe home winter spending is getting more or less expensive?

Home winter spending is experiencing a nuanced shift. While overall costs are influenced by inflation, the warming trend in winter seasons is actually reducing energy demands, particularly for natural gas heating.

What tips do you have for homeowners to manage and reduce their winter energy costs?

The most effective approach to reducing winter energy costs is comprehensive home insulation. Homeowners should focus on sealing doors and windows, checking attic and floor insulation, and ensuring overall energy efficiency. The quality of insulation, the age of windows, and the energy efficiency of appliances all contribute significantly to heating costs.

Victor Gensini, Ph.D., is an associate professor and certified consulting meteorology at Northern Illinois University. His research umbrella covers extreme weather and climate.

Stefano Schiavon, Ph.D.

Professor

UC Berkeley

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What tips do you have for homeowners to manage and reduce their winter energy costs?

Lowering the water heater’s temperature to a level that produces hot water suitable for use without the need to mix in cold water can help reduce heating costs while maintaining comfort. Installing and using a programmable or smart thermostat is another effective way to manage heating efficiently. In particular by turning it off when the house is not occupied. Lastly, routine maintenance of heating systems is important for an efficient operation. An annual checkup ensures all components are functioning well, and regularly cleaning or replacing filters improves airflow; if possible, using a MERV 13 filter can enhance indoor air quality as well.

Stefano Schiavon, Ph.D., is a professor of architecture and civil and environmental engineering at UC Berkeley. Schiavon’s research is focused on finding ways to reduce the environmental impact of buildings while improving occupant health, well-being, and performance.

Pam Knox

Director of the UGA Weather Network

University of Georgia

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Are there long-term effects of extreme weather events on energy infrastructure and costs?

Very cold outbreaks such as the one that hit Texas in 2021 are rare but have big effects on economics in the short term. I would expect it to change the way utility companies manage their energy supplies and plan for future growth. For hurricanes like Helene this year, the extreme winds caused tremendous damage to existing power infrastructure that takes time to repair. In some counties in Georgia, they had to replace several hundred power poles that were toppled by the hurricane-force wind. That takes time and money to do, and the utilities either need to absorb those costs, governments have to subsidize them, or the costs are passed on to consumers.

What tips do you have for homeowners to manage and reduce their winter energy costs?

Homeowners can reduce their winter energy costs by improving insulation in their houses, keeping the temperatures inside the houses a little lower, and switching to more energy-efficient heating like heat pumps. Some people may benefit from paying a rate that evens the energy cost out during the year so it is easier to budget for.

Pam Knox is the director of the University of Georgia Weather Network and an extension specialist in climate and agriculture. In her work, she manages a network of 89 automated weather stations across the state and provides the data to students, scientists, government agencies, and private citizens.

Ryan L. Sriver, Ph.D.

Professor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

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Do you believe home winter spending is getting more or less expensive?

Winter weather is changing with climate. The effect of these changes will depend on where people live. As the planet warms, average winter temperatures are increasing, which reduces heating demands and costs. However, there is evidence that winter weather is also becoming more volatile, which can lead to extreme winter events.

​​What tips do you have for homeowners to manage and reduce their winter energy costs?

There are simple things people can do, such as insulating windows and managing their thermostats. Smart thermostats can also be a good investment, as they allow people to control their heating systems from their phones when they are away from home.

Ryan L. Sriver is a professor in the Department of Climate, Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Illinois. His research combines observations, models, and statistics to understand how extreme weather and climate events are changing with global warming and what the impacts are.

Methodology

To estimate winter gas bills by state, the This Old House research team analyzed data from the Energy Information Administration. We used the total amount of natural gas delivered to residential customers and the total number of natural gas residential customers to calculate the average consumption during the winter months (November, December, January, February, and March). We then used historic monthly residential natural gas prices to calculate the total winter bill. We calculated bills for the winter of 2023–2024. 

For the following states and months, select data points were missing. For these states, we used corresponding data points from the 2022–2023 winter season and adjusted by the yearly change in consumption using the EIA’s regional Winter Fuel Outlook. 

• California: January 2024 consumption and price
• Florida: March 2024 consumption
• Maine: November 2023 consumption and price, January 2024 price
• New Mexico: March 2024 consumption and price
• Tennessee: November 2023–March 2024 consumption and price
• West Virginia: December–March 2024 consumption and price

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