Gas vs Electric Heating Cost in Rhode Island
In Rhode Island, a 2,000 sq ft house with average insulation costs an estimated $2,175.42 a year to heat with a 92% gas furnace, $7,939.77 with electric resistance heat and $3,175.91 with a heat pump. Gas heat costs $22.72 per MMBtu here, against $33.17 from a heat pump at seasonal COP 2.5.
State data
What Rhode Island pays
- Electricity
- 28.3¢/kWhEIA Electric Power Monthly, table 5.6.A · EIA, July 2026 (data as of 2026-09-28)
- Natural gas
- $2.09/thermEIA, residential natural gas price ($/Mcf ÷ 10.37) · EIA 2025 annual average (data as of 2026-09-28)
- Heating degree-days
- 5,700 °F-days (base 65 °F)NOAA CPC, 1991–2020 normals
- Climate zone
- 5 (IECC 2021)DOE/PNNL · heat pump seasonal COP used: 2.5
Rhode Island is in the over-20¢ band on this site: 28.3¢ a kWh, 55% above the US average of 18.3¢/kWh. Natural gas is $2.09/therm in Rhode Island, 41% above the US average of $1.48/therm, so a 92% furnace's heat costs $22.72 per MMBtu. A winter of 5,700 heating degree-days means the 2,000 sq ft example in Rhode Island needs about 95.8 MMBtu of heat a year.
Prices are statewide averages. Type the rate and gas price from your own bill into the calculator above to replace them.
Gas vs electric heat
B04Scenario A
Sets the electricity rate. Pick US average if you're not sure.
From EIA for Rhode Island. Use the rate on your bill if you know it.
Rate used: 28.3¢/kWh · Rhode Island · EIA, July 2026 · gas $2.09/therm (EIA 2025 annual) · 5,700 heating degree-days · climate zone 5 (data as of 2026-09-28) ·
On the furnace label: 0.80 older, 0.90–0.98 condensing.
Gas furnace costs less per year by
Electric resistance: $7,939.77 a year · Gas furnace: $2,175.42 a year, for 95.8 MMBtu of heat.
- Yearly heating load
- 95.8 MMBtu
- Electric resistance, $ per MMBtu
- $82.91
- Gas furnace, $ per MMBtu
- $22.72
- Electric resistance, per year
- $7,939.77
- Gas furnace, per year
- $2,175.42
- Difference per year (Gas furnace − Electric resistance)
- −$5,764.36
- Seasonal heat pump COP used
- 2.5
- Prices used
- electricity 28.3¢/kWh · gas $2.09/therm · propane $3.60/gal · oil $3.80/gal
- Heat pump, per year (for reference)
- $3,175.91
Cost by month, in season only
The yearly cost spread across the months using a typical heating degree-day pattern from NOAA 1991–2020 normals. Months outside the season show $0.
Estimate. Formula and sources are under “How it works”. Change any input; the result updates as you type.
2026 note: The federal 25C and 25D tax credits ended for installations after Dec 31, 2025. Our numbers use 2026 rules. State rebates, HEAR/HOMES programs and utility programs may still apply.
Worked example
Worked example: 2,000 sq ft in Rhode Island
A 2,000 sq ft house with average insulation in Rhode Island needs about 95.8 MMBtu of heat a year (5,700 heating degree-days). At $2.09/therm in a 92% furnace, gas delivers that heat at $22.72 per MMBtu; resistance heat at 28.3¢/kWh costs $82.91, and a heat pump at seasonal COP 2.5 (zone 5) costs $33.17. The year comes to $2,175.42 on gas, $7,939.77 on resistance heat and $3,175.91 on a heat pump. Gas is the cheapest to run here, by $1,000.49 a year over a heat pump.
Load = sq ft × 0.35 × heating degree-days × 24 ÷ 1,000,000. Gas $/MMBtu = $/therm ÷ 0.1 ÷ 0.92. Resistance $/MMBtu = $/kWh × 293.07. Heat pump = resistance ÷ COP.
Questions
FAQ
Which is cheaper in Rhode Island, gas or electric heat?
Electric resistance heat is the most expensive of the three in Rhode Island: $7,939.77 a year for the 2,000 sq ft example, $5,764.36 more than gas. Between gas ($2,175.42) and a heat pump ($3,175.91), gas is cheaper here: $22.72 per MMBtu of heat against $33.17 for a heat pump at seasonal COP 2.5. These are estimates at 28.3¢/kWh and $2.09/therm; your bill's prices can change the answer.
How much gas does a furnace use in Rhode Island?
About 1,041 therms a year for a 2,000 sq ft house with average insulation and a 92% furnace, at Rhode Island's 5,700 heating degree-days. That averages 87 therms a month over 12 months, but almost all of it is burned in the heating months. At $2.09/therm, the year costs an estimated $2,175.42.
Electric furnace vs gas furnace cost in Rhode Island?
An electric furnace is resistance heat: every kWh gives 3,412 BTU. At 28.3¢/kWh, that heat costs $82.91 per MMBtu in Rhode Island, against $22.72 from a 92% gas furnace at $2.09/therm, 3.6 times as much. For the 2,000 sq ft example that's $7,939.77 a year against $2,175.42.
Bordering states
Nearby states
Same calculator, same house, each state's own prices and winter:
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