Heat pump vs Furnace in Scott County, Minnesota
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want cooling and heating from one system and gas isn't an option at your house, a cold-climate heat pump is built to keep working at 10°F. Skip the standard model here. Standard heat pumps lose heating power in weather this cold, and Scott County sits in that range all winter.
When a furnace makes sense
For most homes here, a gas furnace is the cheaper way to get through eight months of heating. It costs at least 35% less to run than a heat pump at Minnesota gas and electric prices, and it holds its full output no matter how cold the night gets. It won't cool your home in summer, so you would still need a separate air conditioner for that.
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want cooling and heating from one system and gas isn't an option at your house, a cold-climate heat pump is built to keep working at 10°F. Skip the standard model here. Standard heat pumps lose heating power in weather this cold, and Scott County sits in that range all winter.
When a furnace makes sense
For most homes here, a gas furnace is the cheaper way to get through eight months of heating. It costs at least 35% less to run than a heat pump at Minnesota gas and electric prices, and it holds its full output no matter how cold the night gets. It won't cool your home in summer, so you would still need a separate air conditioner for that.
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 Scott County.
Winters here average 10°F, and gas heat runs at least 35% cheaper than a heat pump at that cold, which is why most homes here heat with gas.
If your home has no access to natural gas, a cold-climate heat pump will still heat it through a Minnesota winter 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
If you want cooling and heating from one system and gas isn't an option at your house, a cold-climate heat pump is built to keep working at 10°F. Skip the standard model here. Standard heat pumps lose heating power in weather this cold, and Scott County sits in that range all winter.
When a furnace makes sense
For most homes here, a gas furnace is the cheaper way to get through eight months of heating. It costs at least 35% less to run than a heat pump at Minnesota gas and electric prices, and it holds its full output no matter how cold the night gets. It won't cool your home in summer, so you would still need a separate air conditioner for that.
A Scott County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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