Heating with electric resistance
Updated August 2026 · EIA national average residential electricity rate (16.9¢/kWh)
Quick answer: electric resistance delivers heat at $49.53 per million BTU (baseboards, electric furnace or space heaters — 100% efficient at the unit, but every BTU is made from scratch) — #7 cheapest of 7 common options. A 2,000 sq ft home in a cold climate runs about $4,458/season.
Simple and cheap to install, expensive to run: at average rates it's usually the priciest way to heat a whole home. Fine for single rooms and mild climates.
Pros
- • Lowest install cost, zero maintenance
- • 100% of the electricity becomes heat
- • Sensible for small spaces and backup
Cons
- • Typically 2–4× the running cost of gas or a heat pump
- • Costs explode in cold climates and high-rate states
Season cost by home size & climate
| Home size | Mild | Moderate | Cold | Very cold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft | $743 | $1,486 | $2,229 | $2,972 |
| 1,500 sq ft | $1,114 | $2,229 | $3,343 | $4,458 |
| 2,000 sq ft | $1,486 | $2,972 | $4,458 | $5,944 |
| 2,500 sq ft | $1,857 | $3,715 | $5,572 | $7,430 |
| 3,000 sq ft | $2,229 | $4,458 | $6,687 | $8,916 |
Compare against everything else
Estimated heating load: 81 million BTU/season — a rough figure; insulation and thermostat habits move it a lot.
Season cost by fuel (edit any price — it's your local number that matters)
≈ 7,913 kWhs · season-average COP ≈ 3.0 for a modern cold-climate air-source unit (2.0–4.0 depending on climate)
≈ 900 therms · 90% AFUE furnace (standard 80%, condensing up to 97%)
≈ 6.1 tons · 80% efficient pellet stove (75–85% typical)
≈ 5.3 cords · 70% efficient modern EPA wood stove (open fireplaces can be 10% or worse)
≈ 688 gallons · 85% AFUE oil furnace/boiler (older units 80%, new 87%+)
≈ 984 gallons · 90% AFUE propane furnace (condensing up to 97%)
≈ 23,740 kWhs · baseboards, electric furnace or space heaters — 100% efficient at the unit, but every BTU is made from scratch
Estimates: national-average prices (sources on each fuel page) and typical system efficiencies. Your utility bill has your real per-unit price — plug it in above for a number you can act on.
FAQ
How much does it cost to heat a home with electric resistance?+
At the current average price ($0.17/kWh) and a typical system (baseboards, electric furnace or space heaters — 100% efficient at the unit, but every BTU is made from scratch), electric resistance delivers heat at $49.53 per million BTU — roughly $4,458 per season for a 2,000 sq ft home in a cold climate, less in milder ones.
Is electric resistance cheap compared to other heating fuels?+
It ranks #7 of 7 common heating options by cost per delivered BTU at national-average prices. Simple and cheap to install, expensive to run: at average rates it's usually the priciest way to heat a whole home. Fine for single rooms and mild climates.
What are the downsides of heating with electric resistance?+
Typically 2–4× the running cost of gas or a heat pump. Costs explode in cold climates and high-rate states.
Curious what a single space heater costs? See the space heater running cost breakdown for all 51 states.