Heat pump vs Furnace in Hennepin County, Minnesota
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want air conditioning and heat from one system and you're set on cutting gas out of the house entirely. Look for a cold-climate model. A standard heat pump loses heating power as the temperature drops, and on a 10°F night that matters. Even a cold-climate model will cost more to run here than a furnace, at Minnesota's gas and electric prices.
When a furnace makes sense
For most homes here, a furnace is the safer bet. Nights average 10°F from December through February, and a furnace holds its heating power at that temperature, where a standard heat pump can't. It also costs at least 35% less to run than a heat pump at Minnesota's prices, over roughly 8 months of heating a year.
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want air conditioning and heat from one system and you're set on cutting gas out of the house entirely. Look for a cold-climate model. A standard heat pump loses heating power as the temperature drops, and on a 10°F night that matters. Even a cold-climate model will cost more to run here than a furnace, at Minnesota's gas and electric prices.
When a furnace makes sense
For most homes here, a furnace is the safer bet. Nights average 10°F from December through February, and a furnace holds its heating power at that temperature, where a standard heat pump can't. It also costs at least 35% less to run than a heat pump at Minnesota's prices, over roughly 8 months of heating a year.
Heat pump
- Runs on
- Electricity
- What it does
- Heats and cools
- Tax credit
- No federal tax credit since the end of 2025
Sources: U.S. Department of Energy · Internal Revenue Code
Furnace
- Runs on
- Natural gas
- What it does
- Heats only
- Tax credit
- No federal tax credit since the end of 2025
Sources: U.S. Department of Energy · Internal Revenue Code
Furnace wins in Hennepin County.
Winter nights average 10°F here from December through February, and gas heat runs at least 35% cheaper than a heat pump at Minnesota prices.
If your home has no gas line to it, a cold-climate heat pump will still heat it through those 10°F nights and cool it come summer.
Find a contractor| Compared on | Heat pump | Furnace |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to run here | Costs more to run | At least 35% less to run |
| What it does | Heats and cools | Heats only |
| Homes in the Plains states that heat with one | 5.4% | 77.6% |
| Handles a 10°F night | Standard models lose heating power in the cold; cold-climate models are built for it | Yes |
Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, NOAA
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want air conditioning and heat from one system and you're set on cutting gas out of the house entirely. Look for a cold-climate model. A standard heat pump loses heating power as the temperature drops, and on a 10°F night that matters. Even a cold-climate model will cost more to run here than a furnace, at Minnesota's gas and electric prices.
When a furnace makes sense
For most homes here, a furnace is the safer bet. Nights average 10°F from December through February, and a furnace holds its heating power at that temperature, where a standard heat pump can't. It also costs at least 35% less to run than a heat pump at Minnesota's prices, over roughly 8 months of heating a year.
A Hennepin County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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