A: straight swap
Say a 2,000 sq ft Plano house with a 200 A panel and tight ducts replaces an old AC and furnace with a ducted heat pump.
$6,500–$14,500 (DFW band).
Cost guide · heat pumps
Heat pump installation cost in Dallas
A ducted heat pump in Dallas–Fort Worth is published at $6,500–$14,500 installed in 2026, from two DFW sources. Because it replaces both the AC and the furnace, compare it with a full-system quote ($8,000–$16,000 published DFW), not an AC alone. Panel work, ducts and backup heat decide where in the band your house lands.
Published ranges
$6,500–$14,500ducted heat pump, DFW, two sources (2026)
$6,000–$8,0003-ton heat pump + air handler, Dallas (May 2024)
$2,600Oncor 2026 incentive cap for a 3-ton system
Published installed heat pump ranges, 2026
Show the data table
| Item | Range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ducted heat pump, DFW | $6,500–$14,500 | Two DFW sources, all sizes |
| 3-ton heat pump, Dallas | $6,000–$8,000 | HVAC.com, page dated May 2024 |
| 2-ton, national | $3,500–$8,000 | PickHVAC, Midwest labor |
| 3-ton, national | $4,200–$9,500 | PickHVAC, Midwest labor |
| 4-ton, national | $5,200–$11,500 | PickHVAC, Midwest labor |
| 5-ton, national | $6,000–$13,500 | PickHVAC, Midwest labor |
| Full AC + furnace, DFW | $8,000–$16,000 | The like-for-like alternative |
Few sources publish Dallas heat pump prices, and they publish them as one band for all sizes. The Dallas 3-ton figure is older (May 2024) and is shown for orientation. Every number on this page names its source and date; none is our quote, and the editorial policy explains why we publish no figure of our own yet.
By size
The only size-by-size heat pump figures we found are national. Read them next to the DFW central AC range for the same size, which the same houses usually start from.
| Size | Heat pump, national | Central AC only, DFW | Oncor 2026 cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 ton | $3,500–$8,000 | $7,500–$15,000 | $2,000 |
| 3 ton | $4,200–$9,500 | $5,500–$16,500 | $2,600 |
| 4 ton | $5,200–$11,500 | $7,500–$18,500 | $3,200 |
| 5 ton | $6,000–$13,500 | $7,500–$20,000 | $3,400 |
National heat pump rows: PickHVAC (page dated 2026-05-22), Midwest labor assumption. AC column: DFW contractor and cost pages on the cost guide, not including a furnace. Oncor caps: 2026 HEE SOP manual §3.2; a cap is a maximum per system, not a payment.
Size comes from a Manual J load calculation for both heating and cooling. In DFW the cooling load usually sets the size; see what size AC a Dallas home needs.
Against AC + furnace
A heat pump does two jobs, so the fair comparison depends on the furnace you have.
| Your furnace | Compare the heat pump with | Published range |
|---|---|---|
| Old, due for replacement | Full system: AC + furnace (DFW) | $8,000–$16,000 |
| Old, Dallas page | AC + gas furnace (Dallas) | $6,000–$13,800 |
| Young and sound | AC only, 3 ton (DFW); or heat pump on the furnace (dual fuel) | $5,500–$16,500 |
| None (all-electric) | Like-for-like AC with electric strips | No separate published figure |
The overlap is the answer
The DFW heat pump band and the DFW full-system band overlap almost entirely. Equipment price rarely decides it; the panel, the backup heat plan, your gas service and your utility rates do. The AC and furnace guide walks through the furnace decision.
What adds to the price
| Item | Published range | Area | When it applies |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panel upgrade, 100 A to 200 A | $1,800–$3,500 | National | Backup heat pushes an older service past capacity. A new meter base or service riser adds $500–$1,000. |
| Duct sealing or repair | $1,300–$8,000 | Dallas | Leaky attic ducts lose heated air in winter as well as cooled air in summer. |
| New ductwork, about 2,000 sq ft home | $6,000–$7,000 | Dallas (May 2024) | Ducts damaged or badly undersized. |
| Smart thermostat, installed | $120–$450 | National | The old thermostat cannot control a reversing valve and stage backup heat. |
Backup heat size is the hidden cost driver. More kilowatts of strip heat need a bigger circuit and may trigger the panel upgrade; dual fuel with an existing furnace avoids most of that load. The trade-offs are on the heat pump installation page. In the February 2021 winter storm DFW Airport fell to -2 °F on 16 February and stayed at or below freezing for about 139 hours (13–19 February).
Three worked budgets
Hypothetical houses built only by adding published ranges. They show how scope moves the total; they are not estimates for a real house.
B: with a panel upgrade
Say a 1970s Garland house on a 100 A panel needs 200 A to carry the backup heat.
$8,300–$18,000 (DFW band plus national panel range).
C: with duct sealing
Say a Mesquite house has leaky attic ducts that a test confirms.
$7,800–$22,500 (DFW band plus Dallas duct range).
Budget B mixes DFW and national figures, so treat it as the loosest. Ask whether a smaller backup strip or dual fuel would avoid the panel work before accepting it.
Incentives in 2026
- Federal: The federal Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (25C) applied to qualifying property placed in service before 31 December 2025. It is not available for a system installed in 2026.
- Oncor customers: Oncor’s 2026 Home Energy Efficiency Standard Offer Program pays incentives to registered, approved energy efficiency service providers, who distribute them to the host customer. The dollar amount is not final until Oncor approves the provider’s production report. The 2026 manual caps each system by size, from $2,000 at 2 tons to $3,400 at 5 tons. Oncor accepts 2026 production reports from 14 January 2026 until 6 p.m.
- Denton Municipal Electric customers: Denton Municipal Electric’s GreenSense page lists $1,500 (1–2.5 ton) or $2,000 (3–5 ton) for an air conditioner, $2,000 or $2,500 for a heat pump, and 30% up to $750 for a mini-split, applied for within 90 days on a permitted and inspected installation. The fund showed $189,832 of $1,000,000 left on 17 July 2026. Verify on the City’s page; we could read it only through its official listing.
- Dual fuel with a new gas furnace: Atmos Energy’s Mid-Tex appliance rebate program, running 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 for its Mid-Tex residential customers, pays $300 for an ENERGY STAR gas furnace rated 90% AFUE or higher and $350 for 95% AFUE or higher. Applications close 12 months after purchase or installation.
Garland and CoServ customers, and the full rules, are on Dallas AC rebates by utility. National heat pump rebate context is on our sister site, HyreHVAC.
Reading a heat pump quote
- Matched model numbers for the outdoor unit and the air handler (or the coil on a furnace for dual fuel), with the AHRI certificate.
- SEER2 and HSPF2. Split heat pumps need 14.3 SEER2 and 7.5 HSPF2 nationwide. ENERGY STAR certifies split air-source heat pumps at 7.8 HSPF2, 15.2 SEER2 and 11.0 EER2 or better.
- Backup heat: kilowatts of strip heat, or the furnace for dual fuel.
- Electrical: breaker, wiring, disconnect and any panel work, and who does it.
- Thermostat able to stage heat pump and backup.
- Ducts: transitions, sealing or replacement, stated plainly.
- Permit (mechanical, plus electrical if the panel changes) and who pulls it.
- Incentive: whether the contractor participates in your utility’s program and how it appears on the invoice.
Put two or three quotes side by side in the quote comparison tool.
Running cost
Installed price is only half the comparison. Running cost depends on your electricity and gas rates, the heat pump’s HSPF2, the furnace’s AFUE and how often backup heat runs. No published Dallas figure fits every rate plan, so this page does not offer one. Enter your own rates in the heat pump vs AC calculator, and read heat pump vs gas furnace in North Texas for the freeze question.
What to ask
- What are the heating and cooling loads, and what size do they call for?
- How many kilowatts of backup heat, and can my panel carry them?
- What would dual fuel with my existing furnace cost instead?
- What are the certified SEER2 and HSPF2 of this matched system?
- Do you participate in my utility’s 2026 program, and how will the incentive show on the invoice?
- Is the permit, and any electrical permit, in the price?
Then check the license on the TDLR lookup.
Sources
- HVACProjectCost.com, Dallas page (page dated 2026-08-02) (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- HVAC Services Pro, DFW installation guide (page dated 2026-03-06) (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- HVAC.com, HVAC replacement costs in Dallas, TX (Dallas, page dated 2024-05-22) (retrieved 2026-10-20)
- PickHVAC, heat pump installation cost (National, page dated 2026-05-22) (retrieved 2026-10-20)
- Voltflow, electrical panel upgrade cost 2026 (National, page dated 2026-04) (retrieved 2026-10-20)
- Budget Heating, AC replacement cost in Dallas (Dallas, page dated undated) (retrieved 2026-10-20)
- PickHVAC, thermostat installation cost (National, page dated 2026-05-22) (retrieved 2026-10-20)
- HVACProjectCost.com, Dallas page (page dated 2026-08-02) (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- HVAC Services Pro, DFW installation guide (page dated 2026-03-06) (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- Oncor, 2026 HEE SOP Program Manual (dated 14 January 2026), §1 and §3 (retrieved 2026-10-20)
- Oncor, 2026 HEE SOP Program Manual, §3.1, §3.3 and §8 (retrieved 2026-10-20)
- Oncor, 2026 HEE SOP Program Manual, §3.1 (retrieved 2026-10-20)
- City of Denton, Sustainability Incentives (read from the official listing; the page blocked a full read) (retrieved 2026-10-20) — verify before relying on it
- ENERGY STAR, Air-Source Heat Pumps key product criteria (retrieved 2026-10-20)
- AHRI, "2023 Energy Efficiency Standards"; DOE regional standards (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- NWS Fort Worth, "February 2021 Winter Event" (retrieved 2026-10-20) — verify before relying on it
- IRS, Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (retrieved 2026-09-23)
- Atmos Energy, Mid-Tex Appliance Rebate Program (retrieved 2026-10-20)
Questions
How much does a heat pump cost to install in Dallas?
Two DFW sources publish a ducted heat pump at $6,500–$14,500 installed in 2026. A Dallas page from May 2024 puts a 3-ton heat pump and air handler at $6,000–$8,000. Size-by-size figures are national only.
Is a heat pump cheaper than a new AC and furnace?
The published bands overlap: $6,500–$14,500 for a heat pump against $8,000–$16,000 for a DFW full system. The deciding costs are usually the panel, backup heat and ducts.
Can Oncor pay part of a heat pump?
Oncor’s 2026 program pays participating service providers for high-efficiency heat pumps installed for Oncor customers, capped by tonnage (for example $2,600 at 3 tons). The amount reaches you through the contractor and is not final until Oncor approves the report.
Is there a tax credit for a heat pump in 2026?
No. The federal 25C credit applied to property placed in service before 31 December 2025.
Next step
Free quote request
Get a quote to check against these numbers
- Tell us about the job. Service, ZIP, property and timing. The form says right away if your ZIP is outside the area.
- We check the license first. Requests go only to contractors whose TDLR air conditioning license we have matched on the state register. None is signed yet: if no checked contractor covers your ZIP, we email you and say so.
- Compare what comes back. Line the written quotes up in the quote-comparison tool.
No cost and no obligation. We are a publisher, not a contractor. Partner contractors will pay us for introductions; none is signed yet. How that works.
Request AC installation quotes
Free and no obligation. We pass a request on only to a contractor whose TDLR license we have checked and who covers your ZIP.