What this calculator does
The calculator multiplies two numbers: how much fuel a home uses in winter and what that fuel costs. Pick your state and main heating fuel (natural gas, electricity, heating oil or propane), then use the typical amount for your region or your own use from your bills. It shows the estimated cost for the winter, November through March, and the average per month. The winter dates and typical amounts follow the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
What the EIA expects for winter 2026–27
In its Winter Fuels Outlook of October 6, 2026, the EIA expects the average home that heats mainly with natural gas to spend about $640 this winter, 9% less than last winter. Propane homes: about $1,246 (3% less). Electric-heat homes: about $1,196 (4% more). Heating oil homes: about $2,115 (21% more), because the oil price is forecast to rise by about a third. Regions differ: for natural gas the forecast is $879 in the Northeast, $613 in the Midwest, $511 in the South and $590 in the West. The EIA assumes national weather close to last winter, but a milder winter in the Northeast (about 12% fewer heating degree days) and a colder one in the West (about 25% more). A colder winter than forecast would cost more. The next update comes with the monthly outlook due November 10, 2026.
Where the prices come from
For natural gas and electricity the page uses the average of the EIA's monthly residential prices in your state across last winter (November 2025 to March 2026). It does not use the latest month on purpose: summer gas prices look very high because fixed charges are spread over very little gas, which would make a winter estimate far too large. Heating oil and propane use the latest weekly price the EIA publishes for your state, but the EIA covers only some states and only the cold months. When a state price is missing, the calculator uses the EIA forecast for your region and tells you so. It never invents a number.
Typical use or your own use
The EIA publishes the average winter use of homes that heat mainly with each fuel, for example 48 thousand cubic feet (Mcf) of natural gas nationally, from 36 in the South to 59 in the Midwest. It does not publish use by home size, so this tool does not guess it. If you know your real use, choose "My own use" and enter it from last winter's bills, with your own price per unit if you like.
How to read the result
Use the result to compare winters, not as a quote. The EIA warns that its household figures are a broad guide, and that switching to a fuel with a lower average does not necessarily lower one home's costs. Your bill depends on your home's size and insulation, your equipment, your thermostat and your supplier's fees. For a state-by-state comparison, see our winter heating cost report.
Lower the bill or get help
The Department of Energy says you can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling by turning the thermostat back 7°F to 10°F for 8 hours a day. If paying is hard, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps eligible households. States, tribes and territories run it, there is no fee to apply, and the National Energy Assistance Referral line (1-866-674-6327) can point you to your local office. See also the gas prices page and the budget tracker.
General information and estimates only, not financial, energy, tax or legal advice. This site is not affiliated with the EIA or any government agency.
Frequently asked questions
Why use last winter's average price and not the latest month?
Residential gas and electricity prices change with the season. In summer, fixed monthly charges are spread over little use, so the price per unit looks much higher. The November to March average is a fairer base for a winter estimate. You can also pick the EIA forecast for winter 2026–27 or type your own price.
Which fuel is cheapest to heat with?
There is no single answer. It depends on your state, equipment and home, and the EIA says its averages should not be used to decide whether to switch fuels. A new heating system also has installation costs that this calculator does not include.
Does the estimate include my whole bill?
It covers the main heating fuel you choose. For electric heat, the EIA's typical use includes everything the home runs on electricity in winter. For natural gas, oil and propane homes, the EIA's typical use counts everything the home uses that fuel for in winter, such as water heating and cooking, not only space heating, and it does not include their electricity use. If you enter your own use, it counts only what you enter.