Heat pump vs Furnace in Minnehaha County, South Dakota
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling as well as heating from the same system. Choose a cold-climate model built to hold its output at 10°F, since a standard heat pump loses heating power once temperatures drop that low. You will still pay more to heat through the winter than a gas furnace would cost, since gas runs at least 35% cheaper here at South Dakota prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace fits most homes in this county. It keeps its full output no matter how cold the night gets, which matters when winter nights average 10°F from December through February. It only heats, so cooling means adding a separate system. At South Dakota gas prices it costs less to run through the roughly nine months a year this county needs heat, and 64% of homes here already heat this way.
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want cooling as well as heating from the same system. Choose a cold-climate model built to hold its output at 10°F, since a standard heat pump loses heating power once temperatures drop that low. You will still pay more to heat through the winter than a gas furnace would cost, since gas runs at least 35% cheaper here at South Dakota prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace fits most homes in this county. It keeps its full output no matter how cold the night gets, which matters when winter nights average 10°F from December through February. It only heats, so cooling means adding a separate system. At South Dakota gas prices it costs less to run through the roughly nine months a year this county needs heat, and 64% of homes here already heat this way.
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 Minnehaha County.
Nights here average 10°F all winter, and gas heat costs at least 35% less than a heat pump at South Dakota prices.
If your home has no gas line to it, a cold-climate heat pump is still worth a look, since it handles the 10°F nights and gives you cooling too.
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 cooling as well as heating from the same system. Choose a cold-climate model built to hold its output at 10°F, since a standard heat pump loses heating power once temperatures drop that low. You will still pay more to heat through the winter than a gas furnace would cost, since gas runs at least 35% cheaper here at South Dakota prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace fits most homes in this county. It keeps its full output no matter how cold the night gets, which matters when winter nights average 10°F from December through February. It only heats, so cooling means adding a separate system. At South Dakota gas prices it costs less to run through the roughly nine months a year this county needs heat, and 64% of homes here already heat this way.
A Minnehaha County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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