From the inspection file
The 10 Midwest metros with the longest furnace season
Ten Midwest metros ordered by annual heating degree days from NOAA's 1991-2020 normals, the plain measure of how long and how hard a furnace runs.
InspectedOctober 18, 2026figures as pulled
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The System Lifespan Index ranked 10 noaa degree days in metro / midwest, sorted by heating degree days, annual normal. Every number below comes straight from the source data, not an estimate.
1. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
Heating degree days, annual normal: 7,399
2. Madison, WI
Heating degree days, annual normal: 7,138
3. Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
Heating degree days, annual normal: 6,450
4. Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI
Heating degree days, annual normal: 6,408
5. Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Heating degree days, annual normal: 6,178
6. Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
Heating degree days, annual normal: 6,067
7. Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Heating degree days, annual normal: 5,974
8. Omaha, NE-IA
Heating degree days, annual normal: 5,833
9. Akron, OH
Heating degree days, annual normal: 5,700
10. Toledo, OH
Heating degree days, annual normal: 5,641