Report Projects 7.1% Rise in U.S. Winter Heating Bills
A new forecast puts average seasonal heating costs at $1,002, with oil-heated homes facing the largest increase.
U.S. households are projected to spend an average of $1,002 on heating this winter, up 7.1% from last season, according to a new National Energy Assistance Directors Association forecast reported by the New York Post.
The projected increase amounts to about $66 per household. The outlook varies sharply by fuel, with homes that use heating oil facing the largest rise.
NEADA estimates that seasonal heating-oil costs will average $2,977, an increase of 70.2% from last winter. Electricity heating costs are projected to rise 6%, while propane costs are expected to increase 5%. Natural-gas heating costs are forecast to remain roughly unchanged.
The heating-oil increase is especially relevant in the Northeast, where the fuel is more common. NEADA links the pressure on oil costs to disruptions in global supplies stemming from the war with Iran.
These are forecasts, not guaranteed bills. A household's actual costs will depend on its fuel, local rates, weather and how much energy it uses. Other forecasters use different assumptions and may produce different estimates.
NEADA's executive director, Mark Wolfe, warned that higher heating costs could put added pressure on families already struggling with food, housing and other expenses.