Overview

• Average household spending to heat homes is projected to rise to $976 for the 2025–2026 season, with electric heating up 10.2% to $1,205 and natural gas up 8.4% to $693.
• Costs diverge by fuel, as heating oil and propane users are expected to see declines of about 4% and 5%, respectively.
• Regional gaps are wide for electric heating, with increases estimated at 21.4% in the South, 19.7% in the Midwest and 18% in the West, compared with roughly 7.2% in the Northeast.
• NEADA projects the Northeast’s overall winter heating costs will climb about 8.1%, and New York households using natural gas could pay roughly $70 more than last winter ($867 to $936).
• NEADA warns low-income households face the toughest pressure, noting utility arrearages rose about 31% to $23.0 billion through June 2025 as electricity prices ran 6.2% higher year over year in August.