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      Cold winters

      Best heat pumps for Ohio

      In Ohio a gas furnace still heats for a little less, but a heat pump also replaces the air conditioner.

      A typical heat pump costs about $1,537 a year to heat a house, against $1,066 for a 95% gas furnace, at 18.3¢/kWh and $1.34/therm. Parts of the state need a cold-climate model.

      Cheapest to run in Ohio

      City guides

      Each guide uses that city's own climate data. Typical yearly cost of a 3-ton heat pump, heating plus cooling:

      More for Ohio

      Heat pump vs. gas, propane and oil$1,537 vs. $1,066 gas
      • Natural gas furnace, 95% AFUE$1,066/yr
      • Natural gas furnace, 80% AFUE$1,266/yr
      • Heat pump (typical, 9.0 HSPF2)$1,537/yr
      • Propane furnace, 95% AFUE$2,238/yr
      • Heating oil, 85% AFUE$3,798/yr
      • Electric baseboard or furnace$4,055/yr
      Top 8: 3-ton central heat pumpsfrom $1,289/yr

      All 3-ton heat pumps

      Top 8: 12,000 BTU mini-splitsfrom $374/yr

      All 12,000 BTU mini-splits

      Climate in the state's citiesNOAA normals
      • Columbus2.3 nights ≤ 0°F · 21 days ≥ 90°F
      • Cleveland1.2 nights ≤ 0°F · 9 days ≥ 90°F
      • Cincinnati1.5 nights ≤ 0°F · 27 days ≥ 90°F
      • Toledo4.4 nights ≤ 0°F · 18 days ≥ 90°F
      • Akron3.7 nights ≤ 0°F · 14 days ≥ 90°F
      • Dayton3.8 nights ≤ 0°F · 16 days ≥ 90°F
      Questions2
      Is a heat pump worth it in Ohio?
      At Ohio prices a typical heat pump heats a house for about $1,537 a year, against $1,066 for a 95% gas furnace; it wins clearly against propane, oil and electric resistance heat, and it also replaces the air conditioner.
      Do I need a cold-climate heat pump in Ohio?
      In parts of the state, yes. Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo have winters where an ENERGY STAR cold-climate model is the safer choice. Check your city's guide below.

      Running cost calculator

      Pre-filled with Ohio prices. Pick your city and what you heat with today.

      Heat pump $1,179/yrCosts more by $27/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
      $1,179
      Current system, per year
      $1,152
      Costs more per year
      $27
      Payback
      No payback
      Net after 10 years
      -$9,269

      Cooling $154Heating $1,025Electricity used: 6,440 kWhSaved vs. a minimum-efficiency heat pump: $266

      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.

      States with a similar climate