Heat pump vs Furnace in Essex County, Massachusetts
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling as well as heat and you're set on getting off gas entirely. Choose a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward the 21°F nights common here from December through February. Expect to run it about 8 months a year, and know that at Massachusetts electric rates it will cost more to run than a gas furnace.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the straightforward choice if your home already has a gas line, which is true for more than half the homes in Essex County. It costs at least 30% less to run than a heat pump at current Massachusetts prices, and it keeps its full heating power no matter how cold the night gets. The tradeoff is that it only heats, so cooling has to come from somewhere else.
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling as well as heat and you're set on getting off gas entirely. Choose a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward the 21°F nights common here from December through February. Expect to run it about 8 months a year, and know that at Massachusetts electric rates it will cost more to run than a gas furnace.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the straightforward choice if your home already has a gas line, which is true for more than half the homes in Essex County. It costs at least 30% less to run than a heat pump at current Massachusetts prices, and it keeps its full heating power no matter how cold the night gets. The tradeoff is that it only heats, so cooling has to come from somewhere else.
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 Essex County.
Gas heat runs at least 30% cheaper than a heat pump at Massachusetts prices, and most homes here already heat with gas.
If your home has no gas line and you also want central air out of the same equipment, 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 21°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
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling as well as heat and you're set on getting off gas entirely. Choose a cold-climate model, since standard heat pumps lose heating power once temperatures drop toward the 21°F nights common here from December through February. Expect to run it about 8 months a year, and know that at Massachusetts electric rates it will cost more to run than a gas furnace.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the straightforward choice if your home already has a gas line, which is true for more than half the homes in Essex County. It costs at least 30% less to run than a heat pump at current Massachusetts prices, and it keeps its full heating power no matter how cold the night gets. The tradeoff is that it only heats, so cooling has to come from somewhere else.
A Essex County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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