Electric Heat Climbs in Montana Homes

Nearly 27% of occupied Montana homes relied primarily on electricity for heat in 2025, up from 16% in 2000.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Utilities

Bold vector editorial illustration of a single outdoor heat pump mounted on a modest house in snowy hills, with a dark pine line behind. — Electricity became the primary heating fuel for nearly 27% of occupied Montana homes in 2025, up from 16% in 2000, as gas heat fell to 64%. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Would you consider switching your home's heating to electricity?

Electricity became the primary heating fuel for nearly 27% of occupied Montana homes in 2025, according to U.S. Census Bureau survey data. Gas still heated 64% of occupied homes that year, down from about 72% in 2000.

Why it matters

The shift shows electric heating gaining ground in Montana over 25 years as the number of electrically heated homes more than doubled. Rebates, tax incentives, and improved heat pump technology for cold climates are cited as factors making heat pumps more appealing.

Electrically heated homes rose from 58,000 in 2000 to 130,000 in 2025, while total occupied homes grew from 359,000 to 481,000. Fuel oil and kerosene heated just 0.7% of occupied homes in 2025, down from 3.1% in 2000.

The players

U.S. Census Bureau

The federal agency that conducts the census and the American Community Survey, the source of the Montana home heating fuel data.

The details

Electric heating's share of occupied Montana homes climbed steadily across the period, from 19.8% in 2010 to 23.7% in 2015 and 26.2% in 2019 before reaching nearly 27% in 2025. Wood heated 6.2% of occupied homes in 2025, and about 3,500 residences, or 0.7%, used no heating fuel.

2000: Electric heating accounted for 16% of occupied Montana homes.
2019: Electric heating share reached 26.2% of occupied homes.
2025: Electric heating share reached nearly 27% of occupied homes.

Utilities Trend

Montana's electric heating growth tracks a broader shift documented across Census Bureau survey data, in which electric heating shares rose from 16% in 2000 to nearly 27% in 2025. Rebates, tax incentives, and cold-climate heat pump improvements are cited as the drivers behind this move away from gas.

Homeowners weighing a heating system change now have more electric options, including heat pumps that Montana residents are adopting in growing numbers. Rebates and tax incentives may lower the upfront cost of switching from gas to electric heat.

The takeaway

Montana's shift toward electric heat suggests that heat pump technology is making electricity a practical primary heating source even in a cold state. Homeowners comparing options should look at available rebates and tax incentives before choosing a system.