Heating is the largest energy cost for most households in Massachusetts. Each winter, the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) publishes this guide to provide information to help households during the winter heating season.
This guide includes information on current fuel prices, how those prices are set, and steps you can take to lower your heating bills. It also can help you understand what is shaping heating costs and prepare for the winter heating season ahead. The prices in this guide come from rate filings submitted to the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) and from price surveys DOER conducts on behalf of the Commonwealth. Information on weather and energy markets comes from national sources, including the National Weather Service (NWS) and the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Prices reflect the date of publication and may change during the winter because of global markets, weather, and your supplier. Your actual bill will also depend on how much energy your home uses.
Key Takeaways:
- Expect a warmer, wetter winter than last year, though cold snaps and snowstorms are still likely.
- Prices across all heating fuels are higher than last winter for most customers, with heating oil seeing the largest increase, due to the war in Iran.
- A milder winter could mean using less fuel than last winter. However, because fuel prices are higher, many households may still pay more overall.
- Massachusetts has many programs to help households save money on heating and remain comfortable in their home.
What's Driving Prices This Winter
Fuel prices play a major role in what you pay for heat, but there are several factors that can also affect your overall heating bill.
Global Energy Markets
Heating oil prices depend on two things: the cost of crude oil and the cost of refining it. Right now, both are high. Recent geopolitical events, including the conflict involving Iran, has made it harder to produce and ship oil from the Middle East, pushing crude prices up. At the same time, refineries, the plants that turn crude oil into fuels like diesel and heating oil, are producing less worldwide. U.S. refineries are running near full capacity, but much of their fuel is sold overseas, leaving U.S. supplies lower than usual heading into winter.
New England relies on heating oil more than any other region of the country, so these global shortages hit Massachusetts households especially hard. When fuel becomes more expensive or harder to get around the world, residents here see it directly in their heating bills.
Weather
A colder winter means households use more fuel, while a warmer winter can help keep bills lower. This year, the National Weather Service expects a very strong El Niño, a natural warming of ocean waters in the Pacific, to shape weather across the country.
For Massachusetts, the outlook favors a warmer and wetter winter overall. Milder temperatures make for messy storms with rain, sleet, and ice more likely, but long stretches of cold weather and snowstorms can still occur and raise fuel use quickly. If the forecast holds, many households may use less energy for heating than last winter, which was colder than normal.
Your Home’s Energy Efficiency
In addition to weather, energy consumption and spending depend on the size and energy efficiency of individual homes, their heating equipment, and operating conditions. Homes that are well insulated and sealed against drafts hold onto heat longer, so the heating system doesn’t have to work as hard. Older homes, or homes with gaps around windows and doors, lose heat more quickly and need more energy to stay warm. The age and condition of your heating system matter too, since older systems often use more energy to produce the same amount of heat.
Fuel-by-Fuel Breakdown
Find your home’s heating fuel below to see current prices and a breakdown of what makes up your bill.
Heating Oil
About 20% of Massachusetts households heat with oil, especially in older homes and rural areas.
Heating oil prices are tied to the price of crude oil, the raw oil used to make products like gasoline and heating oil. One of the main ways crude oil prices are measured is a benchmark called Brent crude. When Brent prices rise or fall, heating oil prices usually move in the same direction.
This winter, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) expects crude oil prices to stay high. Conflict in the Middle East has disrupted oil supplies, and the amount of oil stored around the world is shrinking.
For Massachusetts residents, this means heating oil costs are likely to remain elevated this winter and be significantly higher than last year. As of the November 9, 2026, heating oil costs 59% more than last year, averaging a high of $5.94 per gallon. Because prices can change quickly, residents who heat with oil can check DOER’s Winter Home Heating Fuel Prices webpage, which is updated weekly with the latest heating oil and propane prices.
Propane
About 4% of Massachusetts households heat with propane, especially in rural areas.
Propane and heating oil are both delivered to homes as liquid fuels, but their prices are set in different ways. Heating oil is made from crude oil, so its price follows global oil markets. Most propane, however, is produced when natural gas is processed, which ties it more closely to natural gas production.
The United States produces much more propane than it uses, so supplies are generally steady. Because of this, propane prices have not risen as sharply as heating oil prices this year, but residents can still expect to pay more this winter than last winter. As of the publication of this page, propane is averaging $3.99 per gallon, about 13% higher than last year. Residents who heat with propane can check DOER’s Winter Home Heating Fuel Prices webpage, which is updated weekly with the latest heating oil and propane prices.
Massachusetts Home Heating Fuel Prices
U.S. EIA Weekly Heating Oil & Propane Prices
U.S. EIA Winter Fuels Outlook
Natural Gas
About 50% of Massachusetts households heat with natural gas, making it the most common heating fuel in the state. The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) reviews gas utilities’ proposed rates and determines what rates they are allowed to charge customers. New winter rates take effect each year on November 1.
Your gas bill has two main parts:
- Supply: The cost of the natural gas itself. This cost depends on wholesale prices, which can rise when cold weather increases demand. The U.S. also now ships more natural gas to other countries, so when demand rises overseas, prices here can rise too. The DPU does not set the price of natural gas, and gas companies pass this cost on to customers without a mark-up.
- Delivery: The cost of operating the utilities, including the cost of getting gas to your home, pipelines, meters, safety, customer service, as well as state programs such as energy efficiency and low-income assistance. These charges are investigated and approved by DPU and don’t change with market prices. Because delivery makes up the larger part of your bill, your costs may stay high even when gas prices drop.
Each gas company has its own rates. Visit the DPU’s Information on Gas Supply and Delivery Charges page for more information.
| Winter Rates (November 1, 2026 – April 30, 2027), current as of November 12, 2026 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Gas Company | Supply (GAF) ($/therm) | Delivery (Dist. + LDAF) ($/therm) | Total ($/therm) |
| Berkshire Gas | $1.0048 | $1.3992 | $2.4040 |
| Eversource Gas | $0.9447 | $1.5552 | $2.4999 |
| Liberty – Blackstone | $1.3570 | $1.5691 | $2.9261 |
| Liberty – Fall River/North Attleboro | $0.9120 | $1.7188 | $2.6308 |
| National Grid (Boston) | $0.9809 | $1.5754 | $2.5563 |
| National Grid (Colonial) | $0.9809 | $1.3984 | $2.3793 |
| Unitil | $0.7868 | $2.9833 | $3.7701 |
| NSTAR Gas | $0.8644 | $1.7478 | $2.6122 |
Rates shown do not include each company’s fixed monthly customer charge or taxes. Supply rates may change during the winter if wholesale prices shift significantly.
National Grid has also requested to increase its delivery rates effective December 1, 2026. That request is still pending before the DPU.
Understanding Your Gas Bill
Information on Gas Supply & Delivery Charges
Information on Winter Bills
Rate Cases for Natural Gas Utilities
Electricity
About 20% of Massachusetts households heat with electricity, using either electric resistance heating or more energy-efficient heat pumps.
Your electric bill has two main parts:
- Supply: The cost of the electricity itself. Much of New England’s electricity is made from natural gas, so when gas prices rise in the winter, electricity supply prices often rise too. The DPU approves changes to these rates at different times during the year. You may get supply through your utility’s Basic Service, your city or town’s Community Choice Electricity program (also known as Municipal Aggregation), or an individual competitive supplier contract. *
- Delivery: The cost of getting electricity to your home, including poles, wires, substations, and transmission lines. Delivery charges also help pay for programs required by state law, such as bill assistance programs and energy efficiency programs. The DPU approves changes to these rates at different times during the year, but because they don’t follow market prices, delivery rates are less likely to change much from season to season or year to year. Households that heat with heat pumps qualify for lower distribution and transmission delivery rates during the winter.
Each utility has its own rates. Find your utility below to see what you’ll pay per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
| Electric Rate: August 1, 2026 through January 1, 2027 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Utility | Supply ($/kWh) | Delivery ($/kWh) | Total ($/kWh) |
| National Grid | $0.17185 | $0.22829 | $0.40014 |
| Eversource (NSTAR) | $0.17323 | $0.17901 | $0.35224 |
| Eversource (WMECo) | $0.15934 | $0.17901 | $0.33835 |
| Unitil | $0.18921 | $0.27798 | $0.46719 |
Supply rates shown are Basic Service rates; your rate may differ if you buy supply through a town program or competitive supplier. Rates do not include the fixed monthly customer charge. Residents served by a municipal light plant should contact their local utility for rates.
Basic Service rates are updated February 1 and Delivery rates are updated on January 1 for all customers. National Grid customers also see a second update on March 1.
*Studies by the Attorney General’s Office have found that many of these suppliers use aggressive or misleading sales tactics, and customers often end up paying more than they would on Basic Service. Before signing up, compare any offer with your utility’s Basic Service rate.
Basic Service Rates
Electric & Gas FAQs
Electric Customer Choice Data
Heat Pump Rate
For the second winter in Massachusetts, households that are customers of the three major electric utilities using heat pumps to heat their homes can receive lower distribution and transmission rates from November through April. The reduced rates are a part of the delivery portion of your electric bill. Your supply rate on your electricity bill will not change because of the seasonal heat-pump rate. The lower rates apply to all the electricity you use during the winter, not just the electricity used by your heat pump. Enrolled customers can continue to take advantage of the heat pump rate each winter and do not need to reapply. If you are unsure of your enrollment status, you can check with your electric company. If you have not applied for the heat pump rate but think you qualify, please visit the DPU’s heat pump rates webpage to find your electric provider and submit an application.
| Winter Heat Pump Rate: November 1 through April 30 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric Utility | Standard Rate (Supply + Delivery) ($/kWh) | Heat Pump Rate (Supply + Delivery) ($/kWh) | Estimated Savings This Winter |
| National Grid | $0.40014 | $0.35713 | 11% |
| Eversource (NSTAR) | $0.35224 | $0.328130 | 7% |
| Eversource (WMECo) | $0.33835 | $0.26741 | 21% |
| Unitil | $0.46719 | $0.37208 | 20% |
Supply rates shown are Basic Service rates; your rate may differ if you buy supply through a town program or competitive supplier. Rates do not include the fixed monthly customer charge.
What You Can Do to Lower Your Heating Bills
Here are steps you can take to lower your heating bill, use less energy, and make your costs more predictable this winter and in the years ahead.
Use Less Energy This Winter
- Get a tune-up: Have your furnace or boiler serviced before the coldest weather arrives. A well-maintained system uses less fuel to heat your home.
- Adjust your thermostat: Lowering the temperature overnight and when no one is home can reduce how much energy you use. A programmable or smart thermostat can do this for you automatically.
- Seal drafts: Close gaps around windows, doors, and other openings where heat escapes. Weatherstripping and caulk are inexpensive and easy to use. Through DOER’s DIY Weatherization Marketplace you can choose up to 10 energy-saving items and receive them for free. Just add items to your cart, check out, and install them to start lowering your heating bills.
Plan Ahead for Your Fuel Costs
- Heating oil and propane customers: Ask your fuel dealer about the plans they offer. With an advance purchase or fixed-price plan, you lock in one price per gallon for the season, either by paying upfront or as each delivery arrives. A capped-price plan sets a maximum price but lets you pay less if prices drop, though it often includes an extra fee. These plans can make costs more predictable than paying the market price at each delivery, often called “will call.”
- Budget billing: Many fuel dealers and gas and electric utilities offer budget plans that spread your heating costs evenly across the year. This won’t lower your total cost, but it can prevent very high or unpredictable bills in the coldest months.
Make Longer-Term Improvements
- Get a free home energy assessment: Mass Save offers no-cost home energy assessments that show where your home is losing heat. Many recommended upgrades, such as insulation and air sealing, come with rebates.
- Consider a heat pump: Heat pumps are an energy-efficient way to heat and cool your home. Mass Save offers rebates and 0% financing to help with the cost of switching. Households with heat pumps may also qualify for a lower electric rate in the winter.
What Massachusetts is Doing About Energy Affordability
Rising energy costs are putting pressure on household budgets across Massachusetts. To address this, the state is offering new and expanded programs this winter. The policies and programs below can help reduce your bills, and many are available to households that have not qualified for help in the past.
New Winter Bill Relief and Heating Assistance
Governor Healey announced a winter energy bill relief package that will provide significant assistance for Massachusetts households that is expected to lower energy bills for approximately 85% of the state’s electric ratepayers and income-eligible customers that heat with gas, electricity or oil and middle-income customers that heat with oil. The plan includes:
More help for low-income households: Households that heat with oil will receive a 20% increase in assistance, while households that heat with utilities will receive a 15% increase. Households whose heat is included in their rent can also qualify, and households do not need to be on public assistance or have unpaid heating bills to receive assistance.
New help for middle-income oil customers: For the first time, Massachusetts is offering a one-time heating oil assistance benefit to help middle-income families who may not qualify for existing heating assistance programs. Households earning between 60% and 100% of the state’s median income may qualify. For a family of four, that means earning more than $103,049 and up to $171,749 could qualify for this one-time emergency benefit. Assistance will be available beginning in December.
Lower electric bills: For January-March 2027, the state will cover the cost of the Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target (SMART) charge from residential and commercial electric bills for at least three months this winter, while the program continues to deliver benefits to all Massachusetts ratepayers.
Emergency Winter Warmth Fund: Governor Healey and Citizens Energy Corporation have launched a new Emergency Winter Warmth Fund to help families manage heating costs this winter. Citizens Energy will contribute $100,000 to support existing heating assistance for low-income households and the new heating oil assistance program for middle-income families. Local agencies will distribute the funds to help more households stay warm this winter.
Heat Pump Rate
Households that heat with heat pumps can receive reduced electric delivery rates from November 1 through April 30. Last winter, eligible customers saved an average of $368 over the heating season. Mass Save can help residents take advantage of lower heating costs by offering rebates and incentives for energy-efficient upgrades, including heat pumps, as well as no-cost Home Energy Assessments to identify ways to save energy.
Tiered Discount Rates
Starting November 1, income-eligible customers of all major electric and gas utilities in Massachusetts will receive a new, tiered discount on their bills. Instead of one flat discount for everyone, your discount will depend on your household income and the number of people in your household.
If you already receive a discount, you do not need to do anything. You will automatically be moved to the new discount rate. If you don’t currently receive a discount or want to learn more, contact your gas or electric utility.
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| Date published: | November 10, 2025 |
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| Last updated: | November 10, 2025 |