Heat pump vs Furnace in Marathon County, Wisconsin
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want one system that both heats and cools, and you're set on moving away from gas. Choose a cold-climate model. Standard heat pumps lose heating power as it gets colder, and winter nights here average 9°F. Expect higher running costs than a gas furnace at Wisconsin's current electricity and gas prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the right choice for most homes in Marathon County. It costs at least 45% less to run than a heat pump at local rates, and heat is needed here about nine months a year. Winter nights averaging 9°F are well within what a furnace is built to handle. It won't cool your home in summer, so you would need a separate air conditioner for that.
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want one system that both heats and cools, and you're set on moving away from gas. Choose a cold-climate model. Standard heat pumps lose heating power as it gets colder, and winter nights here average 9°F. Expect higher running costs than a gas furnace at Wisconsin's current electricity and gas prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the right choice for most homes in Marathon County. It costs at least 45% less to run than a heat pump at local rates, and heat is needed here about nine months a year. Winter nights averaging 9°F are well within what a furnace is built to handle. It won't cool your home in summer, so you would need a separate air conditioner for that.
Heat pump
- Runs on
- Electricity
- What it does
- Heats and cools
- Tax credit
- No federal tax credit since the end of 2025
Sources: U.S. Department of Energy · Internal Revenue Code
Furnace
- Runs on
- Natural gas
- What it does
- Heats only
- Tax credit
- No federal tax credit since the end of 2025
Sources: U.S. Department of Energy · Internal Revenue Code
Furnace wins in Marathon County.
Nights here average 9°F all winter, and gas heat costs at least 45% less than a heat pump at Wisconsin prices.
If your home has no gas line to it, a cold-climate heat pump will still heat it through those 9°F nights and cool it come summer.
Find a contractor| Compared on | Heat pump | Furnace |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to run here | Costs more to run | At least 45% less to run |
| What it does | Heats and cools | Heats only |
| Homes in the Great Lakes states that heat with one | 3.4% | 78.8% |
| Handles a 9°F night | Standard models lose heating power in the cold; cold-climate models are built for it | Yes |
Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. Department of Energy, NOAA
When a heat pump makes sense
A heat pump makes sense if you want one system that both heats and cools, and you're set on moving away from gas. Choose a cold-climate model. Standard heat pumps lose heating power as it gets colder, and winter nights here average 9°F. Expect higher running costs than a gas furnace at Wisconsin's current electricity and gas prices.
When a furnace makes sense
A furnace is the right choice for most homes in Marathon County. It costs at least 45% less to run than a heat pump at local rates, and heat is needed here about nine months a year. Winter nights averaging 9°F are well within what a furnace is built to handle. It won't cool your home in summer, so you would need a separate air conditioner for that.
A Marathon County contractor will price both against your own house, your ductwork and your panel.
Tell us about the job
It takes about a minute.