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As of October 21, 2026. Forecast from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), October 2026.
A home that heats with natural gas should spend about $640 on gas this winter (November to March), 9% less than last winter. A home that heats with heating oil should spend about $2,115, 21% more. That is the federal government's forecast (EIA, October 2026).
Can't pay? The federal LIHEAP program helps with heating bills. See where to get help.
$640
-9% vs last winter ($702): -$62
About half of U.S. homes heat with natural gas or propane (EIA).
$1,246
-3% vs last winter ($1,287): -$41
Price excludes taxes (EIA).
$2,115
+21% vs last winter ($1,745): +$370
About 3% of U.S. homes, mostly in the Northeast (EIA).
$1,196
+4% vs last winter ($1,150): +$46
More than 40% of homes heat with electricity. Counts all household electricity, not just heat (EIA).
Formula: change = this winter's forecast − last winter. Percent = change ÷ last winter. Dollars are rounded to whole dollars, so our percent can differ from EIA's by 0.1 point; EIA's figure is the official one. Winter means November 1 through March 31. Source: EIA STEO Table WF01.
Forecast spending per home for the whole winter, by the fuel the home mainly heats with. EIA publishes heating oil only as a U.S. average, and propane for the Northeast, Midwest and South.
| Fuel | Region | Last winter | This winter | Change | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | Northeast | $1,023 | $879 | -$144 | -14.0% |
| Natural gas | Midwest | $680 | $613 | -$67 | -9.9% |
| Natural gas | South | $599 | $511 | -$88 | -14.7% |
| Natural gas | West | $551 | $590 | +$39 | +7.0% |
| Natural gas | U.S. | $702 | $640 | -$62 | -8.8% |
| Propane | Northeast | $1,979 | $1,687 | -$292 | -14.7% |
| Propane | Midwest | $1,365 | $1,305 | -$60 | -4.3% |
| Propane | South | $1,168 | $1,164 | -$4 | -0.4% |
| Propane | U.S. | $1,287 | $1,246 | -$41 | -3.2% |
| Heating oil | U.S. | $1,745 | $2,115 | +$370 | +21.2% |
| Electricity | Northeast | $1,685 | $1,637 | -$48 | -2.8% |
| Electricity | Midwest | $1,339 | $1,380 | +$41 | +3.0% |
| Electricity | South | $1,044 | $1,079 | +$35 | +3.4% |
| Electricity | West | $1,052 | $1,151 | +$99 | +9.4% |
| Electricity | U.S. | $1,150 | $1,196 | +$46 | +4.0% |
Source: EIA STEO October 2026, Table WF01, base case. EIA also publishes warmer and colder cases in the same table.
Sources: EIA Today in Energy, Oct. 7, 2026; EIA press release, Oct. 6, 2026.
On October 21, 2026, the U.S. Department of Energy offered an exchange (a loan) of up to 315,000 barrels of heating oil from the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve, from sites in South Portland, Maine; Boston; and New Haven, Connecticut. Fuel retailers and terminal holders can bid; bids are due October 27, 2026. Deliveries are scheduled to be done by November 13, 2026. Companies must return the same amount plus a premium. Households do not apply for this oil.
Source: energy.gov, Oct. 21, 2026.
The federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program helps with heating bills, energy crises (such as shutoffs), weatherization and heating system repairs. It is run by your state, tribe or territory.
Find where to apply: call the National Energy Assistance Referral line, 1-866-674-6327, weekdays 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern.
LIHEAP never charges a fee and does not give grants directly to individuals by message. Report offers that ask for a fee to the HHS fraud hotline, 1-800-447-8477.
In Tennessee, LIHEAP is run by the Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA). It helps with home energy bills, energy crises, weatherization, and heating and cooling repair or replacement. THDA also runs a weatherization program.
THDA general information: 800-228-THDA.
Facts from official sources, not advice. EIA figures are forecasts for an average home; your bill depends on your home, weather and local prices. No company pays to be on this page.
EIA forecasts average household spending from November 2026 through March 2027 of about $640 for natural gas (-9%), $1,246 for propane (-3%), $2,115 for heating oil (+21%) and $1,196 for electricity (+4%), compared with last winter.
EIA expects heating oil to average $5.26 a gallon, 34% more than last winter, because global distillate production fell and U.S. stocks are low. Milder Northeast weather partly offsets the price rise, so EIA expects spending to rise about 21%.
The federal LIHEAP program helps with heating bills. Call the National Energy Assistance Referral line at 1-866-674-6327 to find where to apply. In Tennessee, LIHEAP is run by the Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA).
Estimates, not financial advice. Taxes, insurance, PMI and fees vary by lender, county and city; confirm with your lender, dealer and state agency before acting.