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      Severe winters · Mild summers

      Best heat pumps for Great Falls, MT

      Great Falls averages 21 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 $1,727 a year to heat a house here and $59 to cool it. A 95% gas furnace would cost $1,022 for the same heat.

      Cheapest to run in Great Falls

      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 Great Falls

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

      Heat pump $1,185/yrCosts more by $309/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
      $1,185
      Current system, per year
      $876
      Costs more per year
      $309
      Payback
      No payback
      Net after 10 years
      -$12,090

      Cooling $33Heating $1,152Electricity used: 8,507 kWhSaved vs. a minimum-efficiency heat pump: $244

      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 Great Falls

      Top 5 12,000 BTU mini-splitsfrom $370/yr
      ModelSEER2HSPF2Per year
      MDV MOX430-12HFN1-MZ60W27.514.5$370
      Goodman MSH123G26MCAA27.514.5$370
      Fujitsu AOUH12KTAP131.513.7$389
      Fujitsu AOUG12LZAS129.412.9$413
      Fujitsu AOUH12KZAH130.512.7$419

      All 12,000 BTU mini-splits

      Top 5 24,000 BTU mini-splitsfrom $739/yr
      ModelSEER2HSPF2Per year
      SLIMAIR SHC24VH2AG27.514.5$739
      MDV MOD30-24HFN10-M1X22.313.5$798
      Arcoaire D5CSHAH24AAK21.213.5$799
      Comfort-Aire A-VHP24SA-121.013.5$800
      Mainline ML24HP230NEXH-O22.313.3$809

      All 24,000 BTU mini-splits

      Top 5 3-ton central heat pumpsfrom $1,308/yr
      ModelSEER2HSPF2Per year
      TOSHIBA CARRIER MCY-MUB0368HS2P-UL29.712.2$1,308
      LG KUSXA361A23.510.5$1,523
      Trane 5TWV0X36A121.010.5$1,528
      Lennox SL22KLV-036-230A20.510.5$1,529
      Lennox EL21KLV-036-230A20.010.4$1,545

      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, 3,100 full-load hours) at Montana prices.

      • Natural gas furnace, 95% AFUE$1,022/yr
      • Natural gas furnace, 80% AFUE$1,214/yr
      • Heat pump (typical, 9.0 HSPF2)$1,727/yr
      • Propane furnace, 95% AFUE$2,459/yr
      • Electric baseboard or furnace$4,556/yr
      • Heating oil, 85% AFUE$5,663/yr

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

      Month by monthpeak $276 in January

      Heating and cooling degree days (NOAA 1991-2020 normals) and what a typical 3-ton heat pump costs in each month at 13.9¢/kWh.

      MonthHeating DDCooling DDCost
      January1,2350$276
      February1,0850$243
      March9580$214
      April6780$152
      May4223$95
      June19324$48
      July48136$37
      August66120$38
      September25825$62
      October6282$141
      November9410$210
      December1,2100$271
      What size heat pump for a Great Falls 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 Great Falls winters?
      Great Falls averages 21 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 16°F, and the heating season adds up to 7,722 heating degree days (NOAA 1991-2020 normals).
      How much does it cost to run a heat pump in Great Falls?
      A typical 3-ton central heat pump (17.0 SEER2, 9.0 HSPF2) uses about $1,727 of electricity a year for heating and $59 for cooling in Great Falls, at the Montana average of 13.9¢/kWh. The most efficient models cost less - see the rankings above.
      Is a heat pump cheaper than a gas furnace in Great Falls?
      Not on heating alone at today's prices: about $1,727 a year with a typical heat pump versus $1,022 with a 95% gas furnace (Montana averages: 13.9¢/kWh, $0.87/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 Great Falls?
      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 GREAT FALLS INTL AP (7 km away).