Gas Furnace vs Heat Pump Heating Cost in Arkansas (2026)
For a typical 27 million-BTU heating season in Arkansas: a 95% AFUE gas furnace costs about $680/year; a modern heat pump (HSPF 9.0) costs about $429/year. Heat pump wins by $251/year. Arkansas: gas $24.56/Mcf (March 2026), electricity 14.16¢/kWh (April 2026). Climate: mild. In Arkansas, switching from a gas furnace to a heat pump saves about $251/year on heating — or roughly $5,021 over 20 years. Heat pumps also handle cooling (no separate AC needed) and qualify for a 30% federal tax credit (up to $2,000). The gas vs heat-pump trade-off depends on three local numbers: gas price (24.56 $/Mcf here), electricity rate (14.16¢/kWh), and how cold winters get (climate: mild → effective HSPF 9.0). Gas furnace cost = (27 MMBtu) ÷ (95.00% efficient × 100,000 BTU/therm) × $2.368/therm. Heat pump cost = (27 MMBtu) ÷ (2.64 COP × 3,412 BTU/kWh) × 14.16¢/kWh. Heat load assumption: 27 MMBtu/year is typical for an 1,800 sqft home in a mild climate. Modify with your actual annual gas usage (from your bill) for a personalized answer. Affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no cost to you. Yes — we use a state-specific effective HSPF (9.0 for Arkansas) reflecting how heat pumps actually perform across the heating season at typical local outdoor temperatures. Take your last 12 gas bills, sum the therms, and multiply by $2.368/therm. Compare to (your gas therms × 29.3 kWh) ÷ 2.64 × 0.1416 for what a heat pump would cost. Less stable than electricity. Wholesale gas can swing 30%+ in a cold winter. The breakeven above can flip year-to-year depending on weather and pipeline conditions.Heating fuel Energy used/yr Cost/yr Natural gas (95% AFUE furnace) at $24.56/Mcf 287 therms $680 Heat pump (HSPF 9.0, COP 2.64) at 14.16¢/kWh 3,033 kWh $429 What this means in Arkansas
How we calculated this
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FAQ
Does this account for cold-climate performance?
What about my actual gas usage instead of these defaults?
Are gas prices stable?