April 2026 Residential Natural Gas Price Heating Cost
EIA reported the U.S. residential natural gas price at $18.17 per thousand cubic feet in April 2026, up from $16.17 in April 2025. Using EIA heat-content factors, that equals about $1.75 per therm before local fixed charges, taxes, and utility-specific delivery rules.
Key Analytical Findings
- EIA reported the April 2026 U.S. residential natural gas price at $18.17 per thousand cubic feet, compared with $16.17 in April 2025.
- Using EIA heat-content factors, one thousand cubic feet is about 10.36 therms, so $18.17/Mcf converts to about $1.75 per therm.
- A 100-therm household gas-usage month models to about $175.39 in fuel cost at the April 2026 national residential value before fixed charges, taxes, and local utility rules.
- For 50 useful therms of space heat, modeled fuel cost ranges from about $109.68 with an 80% AFUE furnace to about $92.36 with a 95% AFUE furnace, under the same gas price assumption.
The April 2026 EIA natural gas price data show a higher national delivered residential gas price than the year-earlier month. EIA reported $18.17 per thousand cubic feet for U.S. residential consumers in April 2026, compared with $16.17 in April 2025, and its natural gas data page identifies this as the average price of natural gas delivered to residential consumers by state.
That value is not a gas utility tariff quote, and it is not the same as a wholesale hub price. It is a delivered residential end-use price reported in dollars per thousand cubic feet, a volume unit often abbreviated as Mcf.
To make the number more useful for a household bill, this analysis converts the EIA Mcf value into an approximate therm value. EIA states that one cubic foot of natural gas contains about 1,036 Btu and that one therm equals 100,000 Btu, so one thousand cubic feet is about 10.36 therms.
What changed in the April 2026 gas price
EIA's U.S. residential natural gas history table lists April 2026 at $18.17/Mcf and April 2025 at $16.17/Mcf. The difference is $2.00 per thousand cubic feet, or about 12.4% year over year before rounding.
The same EIA data table shows the release date as June 30, 2026, with the next release scheduled for July 31, 2026. As of July 30, 2026, April 2026 is the latest available month shown in that residential natural gas price table.
The timing matters. Natural gas price data arrive later than the electricity data used in the other launch Insights, so this article keeps the reporting period explicit and does not mix April gas data with May electricity values.
Original Mcf-to-therm bill translation
Original comparison table: April 2025 residential gas price was $16.17/Mcf, about $1.56 per therm. April 2026 was $18.17/Mcf, about $1.75 per therm. The modeled difference is about 19 cents per therm.
At the April 2026 national residential value, 50 therms model to about $87.74, 100 therms model to about $175.39, and 150 therms model to about $263.03 before fixed monthly charges, taxes, minimum bills, and utility-specific distribution charges.
Compared with the April 2025 value, those same usage levels add about $9.69 at 50 therms, $19.31 at 100 therms, and $28.91 at 150 therms. These are fuel-price scenarios, not full gas bills.
Why furnace efficiency changes the useful-heat cost
A gas furnace does not turn every unit of fuel into room heat. ENERGY STAR describes annual fuel utilization efficiency, or AFUE, as the percentage of incoming fuel heat converted to space heat rather than lost.
At about $1.75 per fuel therm, a furnace operating at 80% AFUE has a modeled useful-heat cost near $2.19 per useful therm. A 90% AFUE unit models near $1.95 per useful therm, and a 95% AFUE unit models near $1.85 per useful therm.
For a household needing 50 useful therms of space heat, that translates to about $109.68 of fuel at 80% AFUE, $97.49 at 90% AFUE, and $92.36 at 95% AFUE under the April 2026 national price assumption.
How to use this on a household gas bill
Start with the gas usage line on the bill. If it is listed in therms, compare it directly with the modeled therm values here. If it is listed in Ccf or Mcf, convert to therms using the utility heat factor when the bill provides one, because actual heat content can vary.
Then separate usage from price. A higher therm count points to weather, thermostat settings, insulation, hot-water demand, or appliance runtime. A higher cost per therm with similar usage points to gas price, delivery charges, riders, fixed fees, or taxes.
EnergyBillLab does not currently treat a national EIA gas price as a local tariff. Use it as a benchmark for scale, then check the specific utility rate schedule and bill line items for a local explanation.
Methodology and limits
This analysis uses EIA Natural Gas Navigator residential price data for April 2026 and April 2025. The geography is the United States, the sector is residential, and the unit is dollars per thousand cubic feet.
The therm conversion uses EIA unit guidance: one cubic foot of natural gas equals about 1,036 Btu, and one therm equals 100,000 Btu. Therefore, one Mcf is modeled as 10.36 therms. Furnace useful-heat scenarios divide fuel cost by assumed AFUE values of 80%, 90%, and 95%.
The article does not interpolate missing state values, does not compare citygate or electric-power gas prices with residential delivered prices, and does not present a national average as a local household tariff.
At the April 2026 national residential gas price of $18.17/Mcf, a 100-therm usage month models to about $175.39 before fixed charges, taxes, riders, and utility-specific delivery charges. Compared with April 2025, the modeled fuel-price increase is about $19.31 for the same 100 therms.
Data Methodology & Limits
Formula: therms per Mcf = 1,000 cubic feet multiplied by 1,036 Btu per cubic foot, divided by 100,000 Btu per therm = 10.36 therms. April 2026 price per therm = $18.17 / 10.36 = about $1.7548. Useful-heat cost per therm = fuel cost per therm divided by AFUE. Dollar figures are rounded at the presentation step.
Official Data Sources & Citations
- U.S. Energy Information Administration — U.S. Price of Natural Gas Delivered to Residential Consumers (April 2026 and April 2025 U.S. residential natural gas prices in dollars per thousand cubic feet, release date, and next release date.)
- U.S. Energy Information Administration — Natural Gas Data: Prices (Residential natural gas price dataset description and release timing for average prices delivered to residential consumers.)
- U.S. Energy Information Administration — What are the units of measure for natural gas? (Natural gas unit definitions including Mcf, Btu, and therm.)
- ENERGY STAR — Furnaces Key Product Criteria (AFUE explanation for the share of incoming fuel heat converted into space heat.)