Heat pump vs Furnace in Bristol County, Massachusetts
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling as well as heat, since it does both from one system. If you go this route here, look at a cold-climate model, not a standard one. Winter nights average 23°F in Bristol County, and standard heat pumps lose heating power at those temperatures.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line, a furnace is the cheaper way to heat it. Natural gas runs at least 30% less than a heat pump at Massachusetts prices, and with 8 months of heating needed here, that gap adds up. It won't cool your home, so you would need a separate system for summer.
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling as well as heat, since it does both from one system. If you go this route here, look at a cold-climate model, not a standard one. Winter nights average 23°F in Bristol County, and standard heat pumps lose heating power at those temperatures.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line, a furnace is the cheaper way to heat it. Natural gas runs at least 30% less than a heat pump at Massachusetts prices, and with 8 months of heating needed here, that gap adds up. It won't cool your home, so you would need a separate system 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 Bristol County.
Gas heat runs at least 30% cheaper here than a heat pump, and most homes in Bristol County are already set up to use it.
If your home has no gas line to tap into, a cold-climate heat pump will still heat it through a 23°F night and cool it come summer.
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
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling as well as heat, since it does both from one system. If you go this route here, look at a cold-climate model, not a standard one. Winter nights average 23°F in Bristol County, and standard heat pumps lose heating power at those temperatures.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line, a furnace is the cheaper way to heat it. Natural gas runs at least 30% less than a heat pump at Massachusetts prices, and with 8 months of heating needed here, that gap adds up. It won't cool your home, so you would need a separate system for summer.
A Bristol County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.