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      Severe winters · Mild summers

      Best heat pumps for Boulder, CO

      Boulder averages 18 nights a year at or below 0°F, so pick a cold-climate certified model and check its output at 5°F.

      A typical heat pump costs about $2,880 a year to heat a house here and $0 to cool it. A 95% gas furnace would cost $1,780 for the same heat.

      Cheapest to run in Boulder

      Ranked by yearly electricity cost in this climate, so the balance of heating and cooling efficiency is the one that matters here. Cold-climate certified models only.

      Running cost calculator for Boulder

      Pre-filled with Boulder's climate and Colorado prices. Pick a model, tell it what you heat with today, and add your quote.

      Heat pump $1,920/yrCosts more by $510/yrSee details ↓
      1. Where you live
      Adjust heating and cooling hours

      Filled in from your city's climate. Change them if you run the system much more or less than usual.

      2. The heat pump pick a model or type its ratings
      3. What it replaces
      4. Price replace the example with your quote
      Heat pump, per year
      $1,920
      Current system, per year
      $1,409
      Costs more per year
      $510
      Payback
      No payback
      Net after 10 years
      -$14,104

      Cooling $0Heating $1,920Electricity used: 11,600 kWhSaved vs. a minimum-efficiency heat pump: $384

      Estimates use the unit's rated SEER2 and HSPF2, full-load hours derived from NOAA 1991-2020 degree days, average residential electricity prices from the U.S. EIA (12 months to July 2026) and fuel prices from EIA (2025 for natural gas, week of 2026-10-05 for propane and heating oil). Very cold days that need backup heat are not modelled. Federal minimum for comparison: 14.3 SEER2 / 7.5 HSPF2.

      More for Boulder

      Top 5 12,000 BTU mini-splitsfrom $596/yr
      ModelSEER2HSPF2Per year
      MDV MOX430-12HFN1-MZ60W27.514.5$596
      Goodman MSH123G26MCAA27.514.5$596
      Fujitsu AOUH12KTAP131.513.7$631
      Fujitsu AOUG12LZAS129.412.9$670
      Fujitsu AOUG12LZAH129.412.7$680

      All 12,000 BTU mini-splits

      Top 5 24,000 BTU mini-splitsfrom $1,192/yr
      ModelSEER2HSPF2Per year
      SLIMAIR SHC24VH2AG27.514.5$1,192
      Arcoaire D5CSHAH24AAK21.213.5$1,280
      Comfort-Aire A-VHP24SA-121.013.5$1,280
      MDV MOD30-24HFN10-M1X22.313.5$1,280
      Mainline ML24HP230NEXH-O22.313.3$1,299

      All 24,000 BTU mini-splits

      Top 5 3-ton central heat pumpsfrom $2,124/yr
      ModelSEER2HSPF2Per year
      TOSHIBA CARRIER MCY-MUB0368HS2P-UL29.712.2$2,124
      Lennox SL22KLV-036-230A20.510.5$2,468
      Trane 5TWV0X36A121.010.5$2,468
      LG KUSXA361A23.510.5$2,468
      Lennox EL21KLV-036-230A20.010.4$2,492

      All 3-ton central heat pumps

      Heat pump vs. gas, propane and oilgas is cheaper to run

      Yearly cost to heat a typical house (36,000 BTU/h of heat, 4,350 full-load hours) at Colorado prices.

      • Natural gas furnace, 95% AFUE$1,780/yr
      • Natural gas furnace, 80% AFUE$2,114/yr
      • Heat pump (typical, 9.0 HSPF2)$2,880/yr
      • Propane furnace, 95% AFUE$4,312/yr
      • Electric baseboard or furnace$7,596/yr
      • Heating oil, 85% AFUE$7,947/yr

      Electricity and natural gas: Colorado residential averages from the U.S. EIA; propane and heating oil: latest EIA weekly prices.

      Month by monthpeak $373 in December

      Heating and cooling degree days (NOAA 1991-2020 normals) and what a typical 3-ton heat pump costs in each month at 16.6¢/kWh.

      MonthHeating DDCooling DDCost
      January1,3890$369
      February1,2700$338
      March1,2040$320
      April1,0230$272
      May7950$212
      June4850$129
      July3040$81
      August3630$96
      September5690$151
      October8870$236
      November1,1340$302
      December1,4030$373
      What size heat pump for a Boulder home?5 ton for 2,000 sq ft
      • 1,000 sq ft house2.5 ton · heating load 30,000 BTU/h
      • 1,500 sq ft house4 ton · heating load 45,000 BTU/h
      • 2,000 sq ft house5 ton · heating load 60,000 BTU/h
      • 2,500 sq ft house5+ ton · heating load 75,000 BTU/h

      Average insulation, 8 ft ceilings. Size calculator for your own home

      Questions4
      Do heat pumps work in Boulder winters?
      Boulder averages 18 nights a year at or below 0°F, so pick a cold-climate certified model and check its output at 5°F. The average winter low is 12°F, and the heating season adds up to 10,824 heating degree days (NOAA 1991-2020 normals).
      How much does it cost to run a heat pump in Boulder?
      A typical 3-ton central heat pump (17.0 SEER2, 9.0 HSPF2) uses about $2,880 of electricity a year for heating and $0 for cooling in Boulder, at the Colorado average of 16.6¢/kWh. The most efficient models cost less - see the rankings above.
      Is a heat pump cheaper than a gas furnace in Boulder?
      Not on heating alone at today's prices: about $2,880 a year with a typical heat pump versus $1,780 with a 95% gas furnace (Colorado averages: 16.6¢/kWh, $1.08/therm). A high-HSPF2 model narrows the gap, and a heat pump also replaces the air conditioner. Against propane, oil or electric heat it is usually far cheaper.
      What size heat pump do I need for a 2,000 sq ft house in Boulder?
      With average insulation, roughly a 5-ton system: the estimated cooling load is 27,600 BTU/h and the heating load 60,000 BTU/h. Use the size calculator for your own house, and ask installers for a Manual J calculation.

      Nearby cities

      Climate: NOAA 1991-2020 normals, station BOULDER 14 W (25 km away).