# Heat pump vs. electric furnace and AC on City of Elizabethton rates (TN)

> **Quick answer** (updated 2026-11-10): As of November 2026, for a typical 1,800 sq ft electrically heated home on City of Elizabethton electricity rates in Tennessee that needs a new furnace and AC: A heat pump comes out ahead here even with a high quote: about $12,500 less than a new furnace and AC over 15 years at typical prices, and $900 a year less to run.

- Verdict: **heat pump ahead at any quote**
- Heat pump yearly running cost vs. a new electric furnace and AC: $900 less
- Break-even quote gap: the heat pump wins over 15 years if its quote is no more than $13,400 above the like-for-like quote
- Interactive calculator (change size, insulation, fuel, prices, ZIP): https://meterwise.app/tn/city-of-elizabethton/heat-pump-vs-furnace/
- Machine-readable data: https://meterwise.app/data/v1/utilities/tn/city-of-elizabethton.json

## Typical home: costs by option

1,800 sq ft, average insulation, heating with electricity, furnace and AC both need replacing.

| Option | Installed (typical) | Installed range | Rebates | Energy per year | 15-year total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New electric furnace + new AC | $10,030 | $7,260–$12,990 | – | $1,400 | $31,100 |
| Heat pump (replaces both) | $10,980 | $7,640–$14,330 | – | $510 | $18,600 |
| High-efficiency cold-climate heat pump | $14,330 | $10,510–$19,100 | – | $400 | $20,400 |

## Inputs

- Electricity: City of Elizabethton's average residential price in TN (EIA), $0.118/kWh; the winter price of extra kWh is estimated at $0.104/kWh. Enter your own rate for a closer answer. Typical-bill price 11.8¢/kWh, -14% vs. the Tennessee average of 13.7¢/kWh.
- Weather: Elizabethton, 4,303 heating and 1,008 cooling degree days a year (NOAA 1991-2020 normals).
- Gas: $1.24/therm (Tennessee winter average, EIA); propane $3.25/gallon; heating oil $5.97/gallon.
- Homes in this utility's Tennessee area heat with electricity 79%, gas 14%, propane 3%, other 3%, heating oil 1% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019-2023).
- Installed prices: published study ranges, scaled for home size and Tennessee HVAC installer wages (BLS).
- Rebates: not yet checked in Tennessee, so not included.

## Common questions

**Is a heat pump worth it for City of Elizabethton customers?**
As of November 2026, for a typical 1,800 sq ft electrically heated home on City of Elizabethton electricity rates in Tennessee that needs a new furnace and AC: A heat pump comes out ahead here even with a high quote: about $12,500 less than a new furnace and AC over 15 years at typical prices, and $900 a year less to run.

**How much does a heat pump cost to run on City of Elizabethton's rates?**
About $510 a year for heating and cooling with the Heat pump (replaces both) option, against $1,400 for New electric furnace + new AC.

**What electricity price does this use?**
Electricity: City of Elizabethton's average residential price in TN (EIA), $0.118/kWh; the winter price of extra kWh is estimated at $0.104/kWh. Enter your own rate for a closer answer.

## Method

Heating and cooling need from local weather, floor area and insulation; each option's efficiency (heat pumps lose
efficiency in the cold and use backup heat in cold months) turns that into kWh and fuel; electricity is priced
through the utility's tariff; installed costs come from published ranges. Full method: https://meterwise.app/about/index.md

Estimates for a typical home, not a quote or financial advice.

## Other Tennessee utilities

- [Entergy Arkansas](https://meterwise.app/tn/entergy-arkansas/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [Bolivar Energy Authority](https://meterwise.app/tn/bolivar-energy-authority/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [City of Bristol](https://meterwise.app/tn/city-of-bristol/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [City of Clinton](https://meterwise.app/tn/city-of-clinton/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [City of Dickson](https://meterwise.app/tn/city-of-dickson/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [Duck River Elec Member Corp](https://meterwise.app/tn/duck-river-elec-member-corp/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [City of Etowah](https://meterwise.app/tn/city-of-etowah/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [City of Fayetteville](https://meterwise.app/tn/city-of-fayetteville/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [Fort Loudoun Electric Coop](https://meterwise.app/tn/fort-loudoun-electric-coop/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [French Broad Elec Member Corp](https://meterwise.app/tn/french-broad-elec-member-corp/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [Gibson Electric Members Corp](https://meterwise.app/tn/gibson-electric-members-corp/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [Holston Electric Coop, Inc](https://meterwise.app/tn/holston-electric-coop-inc/heat-pump-vs-furnace/index.md)
- [All Tennessee utilities](https://meterwise.app/tn/index.md)

## Cite this page

MeterWise, "Heat pump vs. electric furnace and AC on City of Elizabethton rates (TN)", updated 2026-11-10, https://meterwise.app/tn/city-of-elizabethton/heat-pump-vs-furnace/. Data licensed CC BY 4.0.