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      Severe winters · Mild summers

      Best heat pumps for Syracuse, NY

      Syracuse averages 7.7 nights a year at or below 0°F, so pick a cold-climate certified model and check its output at 5°F.

      A typical heat pump costs about $3,006 a year to heat a house here and $270 to cool it. A 95% gas furnace would cost $1,707 for the same heat.

      Cheapest to run in Syracuse

      Ranked by yearly electricity cost in this climate, so the balance of heating and cooling efficiency is the one that matters here. Cold-climate certified models only.

      Running cost calculator for Syracuse

      Pre-filled with Syracuse's climate and New York prices. Pick a model, tell it what you heat with today, and add your quote.

      Heat pump $2,157/yrCosts more by $499/yrSee details ↓
      1. Where you live
      Adjust heating and cooling hours

      Filled in from your city's climate. Change them if you run the system much more or less than usual.

      2. The heat pump pick a model or type its ratings
      3. What it replaces
      4. Price replace the example with your quote
      Heat pump, per year
      $2,157
      Current system, per year
      $1,658
      Costs more per year
      $499
      Payback
      No payback
      Net after 10 years
      -$13,995

      Cooling $153Heating $2,004Electricity used: 7,607 kWhSaved vs. a minimum-efficiency heat pump: $462

      Estimates use the unit's rated SEER2 and HSPF2, full-load hours derived from NOAA 1991-2020 degree days, average residential electricity prices from the U.S. EIA (12 months to July 2026) and fuel prices from EIA (2025 for natural gas, week of 2026-10-05 for propane and heating oil). Very cold days that need backup heat are not modelled. Federal minimum for comparison: 14.3 SEER2 / 7.5 HSPF2.

      More for Syracuse

      Top 5 12,000 BTU mini-splitsfrom $678/yr
      ModelSEER2HSPF2Per year
      MDV MOX430-12HFN1-MZ60W27.514.5$678
      Goodman MSH123G26MCAA27.514.5$678
      Fujitsu AOUH12KTAP131.513.7$707
      Fujitsu AOUG12LZAS129.412.9$751
      Fujitsu AOUH12KZAH130.512.7$760

      All 12,000 BTU mini-splits

      Top 5 24,000 BTU mini-splitsfrom $1,355/yr
      ModelSEER2HSPF2Per year
      SLIMAIR SHC24VH2AG27.514.5$1,355
      MDV MOD30-24HFN10-M1X22.313.5$1,473
      Arcoaire D5CSHAH24AAK21.213.5$1,481
      Comfort-Aire A-VHP24SA-121.013.5$1,482
      Mainline ML24HP230NEXH-O22.313.3$1,494

      All 24,000 BTU mini-splits

      Top 5 3-ton central heat pumpsfrom $2,372/yr
      ModelSEER2HSPF2Per year
      TOSHIBA CARRIER MCY-MUB0368HS2P-UL29.712.2$2,372
      LG KUSXA361A23.510.5$2,772
      Trane 5TWV0X36A121.010.5$2,795
      Lennox SL22KLV-036-230A20.510.5$2,801
      Lennox EL21KLV-036-230A20.010.4$2,831

      All 3-ton central heat pumps

      Heat pump vs. gas, propane and oilgas is cheaper to run

      Yearly cost to heat a typical house (36,000 BTU/h of heat, 2,650 full-load hours) at New York prices.

      • Natural gas furnace, 95% AFUE$1,707/yr
      • Natural gas furnace, 80% AFUE$2,027/yr
      • Heat pump (typical, 9.0 HSPF2)$3,006/yr
      • Propane furnace, 95% AFUE$4,026/yr
      • Heating oil, 85% AFUE$5,049/yr
      • Electric baseboard or furnace$7,929/yr

      Electricity and natural gas: New York residential averages from the U.S. EIA; propane and heating oil: latest EIA weekly prices.

      Month by monthpeak $578 in January

      Heating and cooling degree days (NOAA 1991-2020 normals) and what a typical 3-ton heat pump costs in each month at 28.4¢/kWh.

      MonthHeating DDCooling DDCost
      January1,2680$578
      February1,1050$504
      March9670$442
      April5654$259
      May24334$126
      June55115$75
      July6218$98
      August14180$85
      September12663$85
      October4315$199
      November7350$335
      December1,0730$489
      What size heat pump for a Syracuse home?5 ton for 2,000 sq ft
      • 1,000 sq ft house2.5 ton · heating load 27,000 BTU/h
      • 1,500 sq ft house3.5 ton · heating load 40,500 BTU/h
      • 2,000 sq ft house5 ton · heating load 54,000 BTU/h
      • 2,500 sq ft house5+ ton · heating load 67,500 BTU/h

      Average insulation, 8 ft ceilings. Size calculator for your own home

      Questions4
      Do heat pumps work in Syracuse winters?
      Syracuse averages 7.7 nights a year at or below 0°F, so pick a cold-climate certified model and check its output at 5°F. The average winter low is 19°F, and the heating season adds up to 6,588 heating degree days (NOAA 1991-2020 normals).
      How much does it cost to run a heat pump in Syracuse?
      A typical 3-ton central heat pump (17.0 SEER2, 9.0 HSPF2) uses about $3,006 of electricity a year for heating and $270 for cooling in Syracuse, at the New York average of 28.4¢/kWh. The most efficient models cost less - see the rankings above.
      Is a heat pump cheaper than a gas furnace in Syracuse?
      Not on heating alone at today's prices: about $3,006 a year with a typical heat pump versus $1,707 with a 95% gas furnace (New York averages: 28.4¢/kWh, $1.70/therm). A high-HSPF2 model narrows the gap, and a heat pump also replaces the air conditioner. Against propane, oil or electric heat it is usually far cheaper.
      What size heat pump do I need for a 2,000 sq ft house in Syracuse?
      With average insulation, roughly a 5-ton system: the estimated cooling load is 27,600 BTU/h and the heating load 54,000 BTU/h. Use the size calculator for your own house, and ask installers for a Manual J calculation.

      Nearby cities

      Climate: NOAA 1991-2020 normals, station SYRACUSE HANCOCK INTL AP (8 km away).