HeatingCost

Natural gas prices in Washington this week

$16.74per Mcf
8% above the previous winter
20% above the five-year average

EIA residential average, winter 2025-26 average (December through March). Summer monthly figures are left out because fixed charges spread over tiny volumes make them look two to three times higher than what heating actually costs.

9.5714.0418.5122.9827.45202120222023202420252026

Five-year price history, EIA. Dashed line is the five-year average.

What this price means for your bill

At $16.74 per Mcf, a 10 Mcf month (about 104 therms) costs about $167. That works out to about $1.61 per therm. Burned in a gas furnace or boiler running at 92% efficiency, that is $17.56 per million BTU of heat delivered into the house, which is the number to use when comparing against anything else.

At 20% above its five-year average, this is an expensive stretch for natural gas. If your tank can wait, partial deliveries keep you flexible; locking a full-season contract at this level means betting prices stay high. Compared with the previous winter it is 8% higher. We don't forecast prices. What we can tell you is where this week sits against history, and how the fuel compares with the alternatives at today's numbers.

How natural gas compares in Washington right now

Cost per million BTU delivered, at this week's Washington prices and typical equipment efficiencies. The cheapest option is geothermal heat pump at $12.25.

Pellet, cordwood and kerosene prices are national averages; everything else is the Washington figure. Change any price or efficiency in the calculator.

Shopping for natural gas? Dealer prices in the same town routinely differ by 30 to 60 cents a gallon, and the state average above is just that, an average. Get two or three quotes before you fill.

Thinking about switching? Run your own numbers in the calculator, or see how a heat pump compares on the natural gas comparison page.

Natural gas prices in other states