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Severe winters · Mild summers

Best heat pumps for Ann Arbor, MI

Ann Arbor averages 11 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 $2,268 a year to heat a house here and $156 to cool it. A 95% gas furnace would cost $1,074 for the same heat.

Cheapest to run in Ann Arbor

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 Ann Arbor

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

Heat pump $1,600/yrCosts more by $573/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
$1,600
Current system, per year
$1,027
Costs more per year
$573
Payback
No payback
Net after 10 years
-$14,733

Cooling $88Heating $1,512Electricity used: 7,620 kWhSaved vs. a minimum-efficiency heat pump: $338

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 Ann Arbor

Top 5 12,000 BTU mini-splitsfrom $501/yr
Top 5 24,000 BTU mini-splitsfrom $1,003/yr
ModelSEER2HSPF2Per year
SLIMAIR SHC24VH2AG27.514.5$1,003
MDV MOD30-24HFN10-M1X22.313.5$1,087
Arcoaire D5CSHAH24AAK21.213.5$1,091
Comfort-Aire A-VHP24SA-121.013.5$1,092
Mainline ML24HP230NEXH-O22.313.3$1,102

All 24,000 BTU mini-splits

Top 5 3-ton central heat pumpsfrom $1,762/yr
ModelSEER2HSPF2Per year
TOSHIBA CARRIER MCY-MUB0368HS2P-UL29.712.2$1,762
LG KUSXA361A23.510.5$2,057
Trane 5TWV0X36A121.010.5$2,070
Lennox SL22KLV-036-230A20.510.5$2,073
Lennox EL21KLV-036-230A20.010.4$2,095

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, 2,700 full-load hours) at Michigan prices.

  • Natural gas furnace, 95% AFUE$1,074/yr
  • Natural gas furnace, 80% AFUE$1,276/yr
  • Heat pump (typical, 9.0 HSPF2)$2,268/yr
  • Propane furnace, 95% AFUE$2,616/yr
  • Heating oil, 85% AFUE$4,610/yr
  • Electric baseboard or furnace$5,982/yr

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

Month by monthpeak $433 in January

Heating and cooling degree days (NOAA 1991-2020 normals) and what a typical 3-ton heat pump costs in each month at 21.0¢/kWh.

MonthHeating DDCooling DDCost
January1,2860$433
February1,1120$374
March9200$309
April5422$183
May24928$92
June59102$50
July15186$61
August22150$52
September15746$67
October4746$161
November7890$265
December1,1180$376
What size heat pump for a Ann Arbor home?5 ton for 2,000 sq ft
  • 1,000 sq ft house2.5 ton · heating load 27,000 BTU/h
  • 1,500 sq ft house3.5 ton · heating load 40,500 BTU/h
  • 2,000 sq ft house5 ton · heating load 54,000 BTU/h
  • 2,500 sq ft house5+ ton · heating load 67,500 BTU/h

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

Questions4
Do heat pumps work in Ann Arbor winters?
Ann Arbor averages 11 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 18°F, and the heating season adds up to 6,742 heating degree days (NOAA 1991-2020 normals).
How much does it cost to run a heat pump in Ann Arbor?
A typical 3-ton central heat pump (17.0 SEER2, 9.0 HSPF2) uses about $2,268 of electricity a year for heating and $156 for cooling in Ann Arbor, at the Michigan average of 21.0¢/kWh. The most efficient models cost less - see the rankings above.
Is a heat pump cheaper than a gas furnace in Ann Arbor?
Not on heating alone at today's prices: about $2,268 a year with a typical heat pump versus $1,074 with a 95% gas furnace (Michigan averages: 21.0¢/kWh, $1.05/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 Ann Arbor?
With average insulation, roughly a 5-ton system: the estimated cooling load is 27,600 BTU/h and the heating load 54,000 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 ANN ARBOR MUNI AP (6 km away).