Heat pump vs Furnace in Meade County, South Dakota
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want one system that heats and cools, a heat pump does both. Just make sure it is a cold-climate model. A standard heat pump loses heating power once temperatures drop, and winter nights here average 12°F, cold enough to matter. Weigh the electric running cost too, since natural gas heats for less here at South Dakota's prices.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line, a furnace is the cheaper way to heat it here, running at least 35% less than a heat pump at South Dakota gas and electric prices. With nine months of heating a year and nights averaging 12°F in December through February, that gap adds up. A furnace only heats, so you would still need a separate air conditioner for summer.
When a heat pump makes sense
If you want one system that heats and cools, a heat pump does both. Just make sure it is a cold-climate model. A standard heat pump loses heating power once temperatures drop, and winter nights here average 12°F, cold enough to matter. Weigh the electric running cost too, since natural gas heats for less here at South Dakota's prices.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line, a furnace is the cheaper way to heat it here, running at least 35% less than a heat pump at South Dakota gas and electric prices. With nine months of heating a year and nights averaging 12°F in December through February, that gap adds up. A furnace only heats, so you would still need a separate air conditioner for summer.
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 Meade County.
Nights here average 12°F all winter, and gas heat runs at least 35% cheaper than a heat pump at South Dakota's prices.
If your home has no gas line to it, a cold-climate heat pump will still heat it through those 12°F nights and cool it come summer, all from one system.
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 12°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 one system that heats and cools, a heat pump does both. Just make sure it is a cold-climate model. A standard heat pump loses heating power once temperatures drop, and winter nights here average 12°F, cold enough to matter. Weigh the electric running cost too, since natural gas heats for less here at South Dakota's prices.
When a furnace makes sense
If your home already has a gas line, a furnace is the cheaper way to heat it here, running at least 35% less than a heat pump at South Dakota gas and electric prices. With nine months of heating a year and nights averaging 12°F in December through February, that gap adds up. A furnace only heats, so you would still need a separate air conditioner for summer.
A Meade County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
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