What will your heat pump really cost to run?
Running costs for every U.S. state, real cold-weather output at 5°F, and which brands sell the same equipment. Built from official government data.
Photo: alpha innotec on Unsplash
Cheapest heat pumps to run for your home
Sorted by estimated yearly running cost in your state.
Cost in your state
Every model page estimates heating and cooling cost in all 51 states using the latest EIA electricity prices. Edit the numbers to match your bill.
Real cold-weather output
See certified heat output at 47°F, 17°F and 5°F — the numbers that decide whether you'll need backup heat in January.
Same unit, different badge
We match identical equipment across brands, so you can tell when two quotes are really for the same heat pump.
Best cold-weather performers
Cold-climate certified models that keep the most heating capacity at 5°F.
- Size
- 1 ton
- HSPF2
- 14
- SEER2
- 33.5
- Heat at 5°F
- 142%
- Size
- 1 ton
- HSPF2
- 10.5
- SEER2
- 22
- Heat at 5°F
- 133%
- Size
- 1.5 tons
- HSPF2
- 10
- SEER2
- 20.5
- Heat at 5°F
- 120%
- Size
- 2.5 tons
- HSPF2
- 9
- SEER2
- 21
- Heat at 5°F
- 112%
- Size
- 1.5 tons
- HSPF2
- 11.4
- SEER2
- 24.5
- Heat at 5°F
- 112%
- Size
- 1.5 tons
- HSPF2
- 10
- SEER2
- 17.5
- Heat at 5°F
- 110%
- Size
- 1 ton
- HSPF2
- 11.2
- SEER2
- 30
- Heat at 5°F
- 108%
- Size
- 3 tons
- HSPF2
- 8.5
- SEER2
- 17.5
- Heat at 5°F
- 108%
Most efficient ducted systems
Highest HSPF2 heating efficiency.
- Size
- 2 tons
- HSPF2
- 11
- SEER2
- 17.1
- Heat at 5°F
- 79%
- Size
- 2 tons
- HSPF2
- 11
- SEER2
- 18
- Heat at 5°F
- 79%
- Size
- 1.5 tons
- HSPF2
- 10.8
- SEER2
- 19.3
- Heat at 5°F
- 103%
- Size
- 2.5 tons
- HSPF2
- 10.8
- SEER2
- 17.5
- Heat at 5°F
- 98%
Most efficient mini-splits
Highest HSPF2 among ductless units.
- Size
- 1 ton
- HSPF2
- 14
- SEER2
- 33.5
- Heat at 5°F
- 142%
- Size
- 1 ton
- HSPF2
- 13.9
- SEER2
- 26
- Heat at 5°F
- 78%
- Size
- 1 ton
- HSPF2
- 13.8
- SEER2
- 27.5
- Heat at 5°F
- 99%
- Size
- 1 ton
- HSPF2
- 13.7
- SEER2
- 31.5
- Heat at 5°F
- 106%
Photo: Tracy Adams on Unsplash
The same heat pump can cost nearly 4× more to run in one state than another
Electricity runs from 12.72¢/kWh to 47.18¢/kWh across the U.S., and climate decides how many hours you heat or cool. Pick your state to see the most economical models for it.
Browse by brand
31 brands, with their twin badges identified.
Guides
Understand the numbers before you sign a quote.
Frequently asked questions
Where does Heat Pump Atlas get its data?
Equipment performance comes from the U.S. EPA's ENERGY STAR certified heat pump dataset, and electricity prices come from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. We aggregate them into model-level pages and show our formulas on the methodology page.
How accurate are the running-cost estimates?
They are planning estimates for a correctly sized system using state-average prices and climate hours. Your actual cost depends on your home, installation and thermostat habits; you can enter your own rate and hours in every calculator.
What does 'heat kept at 5°F' mean?
It is the unit's certified heating output at 5°F divided by its output at 47°F. It shows how well a heat pump holds up in deep cold — the higher, the less you'll rely on expensive backup heat.
Why are some brands listed as the same equipment?
Manufacturers often sell identical outdoor units under several brand names. We flag listings with the same certifying manufacturer and identical certified performance, so you can compare quotes on installation and warranty rather than badge.