Heat pump vs Furnace in Suffolk County, Massachusetts
When a heat pump makes sense
If your home already has gas heat and central air on separate systems, or no gas line at all, a cold-climate heat pump gives you heating and cooling from one machine. Standard heat pumps lose heating power as the temperature drops, so with nights averaging 23°F here, only a cold-climate model built for that cold is worth considering. Expect a higher electric bill for heat than a gas furnace would run, since gas costs at least 30% less here at Massachusetts prices.
When a furnace makes sense
If you already have a gas line to your home, a furnace is the cheaper machine to run through a winter that lasts about 8 months here. It keeps its full heating power no matter how cold the night gets outside, which matters when nights average 23°F from December through February. A furnace only heats, so you would still need separate air conditioning for summer.
When a heat pump makes sense
If your home already has gas heat and central air on separate systems, or no gas line at all, a cold-climate heat pump gives you heating and cooling from one machine. Standard heat pumps lose heating power as the temperature drops, so with nights averaging 23°F here, only a cold-climate model built for that cold is worth considering. Expect a higher electric bill for heat than a gas furnace would run, since gas costs at least 30% less here at Massachusetts prices.
When a furnace makes sense
If you already have a gas line to your home, a furnace is the cheaper machine to run through a winter that lasts about 8 months here. It keeps its full heating power no matter how cold the night gets outside, which matters when nights average 23°F from December through February. A furnace only heats, so you would still need separate air conditioning for summer.
Heat pump
- Runs on
- Electricity
- What it does
- Heats and cools
- Tax credit
- No federal tax credit since the end of 2025
Sources: U.S. Department of Energy · Internal Revenue Code
Furnace
- Runs on
- Natural gas
- What it does
- Heats only
- Tax credit
- No federal tax credit since the end of 2025
Sources: U.S. Department of Energy · Internal Revenue Code
Furnace wins in Suffolk County.
Gas heat runs at least 30% cheaper than a heat pump at Massachusetts prices, and most homes here are already set up for it.
If your home has no gas line and you also want cooling from the same system, a cold-climate heat pump is still worth a look.
Find a contractor| Compared on | Heat pump | Furnace |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to run here | Costs more to run | At least 30% less to run |
| What it does | Heats and cools | Heats only |
| Homes in New England that heat with one | 1.7% | 54.8% |
| Handles a 23°F night | Standard models lose heating power in the cold; cold-climate models are built for it | Yes |
Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, NOAA
When a heat pump makes sense
If your home already has gas heat and central air on separate systems, or no gas line at all, a cold-climate heat pump gives you heating and cooling from one machine. Standard heat pumps lose heating power as the temperature drops, so with nights averaging 23°F here, only a cold-climate model built for that cold is worth considering. Expect a higher electric bill for heat than a gas furnace would run, since gas costs at least 30% less here at Massachusetts prices.
When a furnace makes sense
If you already have a gas line to your home, a furnace is the cheaper machine to run through a winter that lasts about 8 months here. It keeps its full heating power no matter how cold the night gets outside, which matters when nights average 23°F from December through February. A furnace only heats, so you would still need separate air conditioning for summer.
A Suffolk County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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