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      Mild winters

      Best heat pumps for Texas

      In Texas a heat pump heats for less than gas.

      A typical heat pump costs about $448 a year to heat a house, against $496 for a 95% gas furnace, at 16.0¢/kWh and $1.87/therm. Parts of the state need a cold-climate model.

      Cheapest to run in Texas

      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 Texas

      Heat pump vs. gas, propane and oil$448 vs. $496 gas
      • Heat pump (typical, 9.0 HSPF2)$448/yr
      • Natural gas furnace, 95% AFUE$496/yr
      • Natural gas furnace, 80% AFUE$589/yr
      • Propane furnace, 95% AFUE$899/yr
      • Electric baseboard or furnace$1,182/yr
      • Heating oil, 85% AFUE$1,279/yr
      Top 8: 3-ton central heat pumpsfrom $757/yr

      All 3-ton heat pumps

      Top 8: 12,000 BTU mini-splitsfrom $232/yr

      All 12,000 BTU mini-splits

      Climate in the state's citiesNOAA normals
      • Houston0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 101 days ≥ 90°F
      • San Antonio0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 122 days ≥ 90°F
      • Dallas0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 108 days ≥ 90°F
      • Fort Worth0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 114 days ≥ 90°F
      • Austin0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 123 days ≥ 90°F
      • El Paso0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 117 days ≥ 90°F
      • Arlington0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 106 days ≥ 90°F
      • Corpus Christi0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 96 days ≥ 90°F
      • Plano0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 97 days ≥ 90°F
      • Lubbock0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 92 days ≥ 90°F
      • Laredo0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 185 days ≥ 90°F
      • Irving0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 106 days ≥ 90°F
      • Amarillo0.5 nights ≤ 0°F · 72 days ≥ 90°F
      • Brownsville0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 141 days ≥ 90°F
      • Denton0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 104 days ≥ 90°F
      • McAllen0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 177 days ≥ 90°F
      • Waco0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 115 days ≥ 90°F
      • Midland0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 115 days ≥ 90°F
      • Abilene0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 102 days ≥ 90°F
      • Pearland0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 101 days ≥ 90°F
      • College Station0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 117 days ≥ 90°F
      • Odessa0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 115 days ≥ 90°F
      • New Braunfels0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 128 days ≥ 90°F
      • Conroe0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 108 days ≥ 90°F
      • Beaumont0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 93 days ≥ 90°F
      • Tyler0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 98 days ≥ 90°F
      • Sugar Land0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 112 days ≥ 90°F
      • Wichita Falls0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 105 days ≥ 90°F
      • Georgetown0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 102 days ≥ 90°F
      • San Angelo0.0 nights ≤ 0°F · 119 days ≥ 90°F
      Questions2
      Is a heat pump worth it in Texas?
      At Texas prices a typical heat pump heats a house for about $448 a year, against $496 for a 95% gas furnace, so it is cheaper to run even before counting that it replaces the air conditioner.
      Do I need a cold-climate heat pump in Texas?
      In parts of the state, yes. Amarillo has winters where an ENERGY STAR cold-climate model is the safer choice. Check your city's guide below.

      Running cost calculator

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

      Heat pump $721/yrYou save $516/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
      $721
      Current system, per year
      $1,238
      You save per year
      $516
      Payback
      17.4 years
      Net after 10 years
      -$3,836

      Cooling $422Heating $299Electricity used: 4,507 kWhSaved vs. a minimum-efficiency heat pump: $228

      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