What heat pump rebates pay in Aurora
We re-read the state, Colorado Energy Office and Power Ahead Colorado pages on October 5, 2026. Xcel's page would not open for our reader, so its amounts come from its 2026 rebate summary, which gives October 1, 2026 as the start. Sources are listed at the bottom.
Xcel cold-climate heat pump
Counted at 5°F. Gas-heated homes get $1,500 per ton. A unit with 2.5 heating tons at 5°F would earn $1,875, or $3,750 with the gas bonus.
Xcel ducted heat pump
For a ducted system that replaces a central air conditioner and furnace. $600 per ton with the gas-home bonus. A 3-ton unit earns $900, or $1,800.
Power Ahead Colorado
For an ENERGY STAR cold-climate air-source heat pump in an existing home, with a verified contractor and approval before work starts. Aurora is a member of the regional council that runs it.
State heat pump discount
Off your invoice for an air-source heat pump, from a $1,000 state credit that the contractor claims.
State income-based rebates (HEAR)
Up to $8,000 for a cold-climate heat pump while it was open. Aurora's counties, Adams and Arapahoe, are in the Front Range region, and that region is now closed.
City of Aurora homeowner rebate
Third-party sites list an Aurora heat pump rebate. We could not read a city page that confirms it, so we show no amount.
Federal tax credit (25C)
Ended for spending after December 31, 2025.
Working it out
Say you replace a 3-ton central air conditioner and gas furnace with a ducted cold-climate heat pump that gives 2.5 heating tons at 5°F, in a home where Xcel sells you gas. Xcel at the gas-home rate: 2.5 x $1,500 = $3,750. Power Ahead Colorado: $1,500. State discount at the minimum: $333. Total $5,583. Without the gas bonus the first line is 2.5 x $750 = $1,875, and the total is $3,708. Which Xcel line applies, the cold-climate one or the ducted one, depends on the exact unit, so ask for the model's rating at 5°F before you compare quotes.
What Aurora homes look like
The American Community Survey (2020 to 2024) counts 152,377 homes in Aurora. About 62% of households own and 38% rent. Just over half (53%) are detached houses, and 5% are in buildings of two to four units. Only 37% were built before 1980, and just 1% before 1940. Around 29% were built in 2000 or later, and those are homes where an installer can check the ducts and the electric panel against a modern heat pump's needs.
For the owner of a house built in the last 30 years, the question is usually not 'can I fit ducts' but 'is my old air conditioner near the end of its life'. If it is, replacing it with a heat pump that also heats costs less extra than adding a heat pump to a system that still works.
What Aurora heats with
About 62% of Aurora households heat with utility gas, 34% with electricity, and almost none with oil. The 34% on electricity is a large group, and it can include apartments and townhomes with electric baseboards or strip heat. A heat pump saves those homes the most money each winter, and they get Xcel's standard per-ton amount.
If you have a gas furnace and your furnace works, a smaller partial-load heat pump that handles most days and leaves the furnace as backup can be the lower-cost path. A rebate sized by tons, like Xcel's, rewards a bigger unit, so ask your installer to show you the price difference, not only the rebate difference.
Aurora winters
Our climate file, built from ten Januaries (2015 to 2024), has an average January low of about 18°F in Aurora and a lowest day near minus 23°F. That is why the rebates require cold-climate models and why Xcel counts capacity at 5°F. Any unit you price should list its heating output at 5°F.
Renters and condos in Aurora
With 38% of households renting, a lot of Aurora's heating decisions belong to landlords and associations. Power Ahead Colorado covers multifamily and commercial buildings as well as houses, but a building owner has to apply. If you rent, ask whether your building has a shared system; a tenant cannot take a rebate for a unit the owner controls.
The city rebate question
You may see an Aurora city heat pump rebate of a few hundred dollars on aggregator sites. We searched the city's own pages and could not find one that confirms it. If you find a current page on auroragov.org, check whether it needs a contractor licensed in the city and whether it can be combined with the others here. Until then, treat it as unconfirmed, not as money you can count on.
Top-rated installers in Aurora
Ranked by Google reviews (minimum five). We don't take referral fees or paid placements. Ask each one whether they are a Power Ahead Colorado contractor, an Xcel participating contractor and registered for the state discount.
How to claim Aurora heat pump rebates
- Find out if Xcel sends your bill, and whether it supplies your gas as well as your electricity.
- Ask for quotes that show the unit's heating output at 5°F and its cooling tons.
- Choose a contractor in the Power Ahead Colorado finder who is also an Xcel participating contractor.
- Have the contractor send the project to Power Ahead Colorado before work begins.
- After install, check that the state discount appears as its own line on your invoice.
Common questions
How much can I get for a heat pump in Aurora?
From the programs we could read on October 5, 2026: Xcel $750 per heating ton for cold-climate units ($1,500 for gas-heated homes) or $300 per cooling ton for ducted units, Power Ahead Colorado $1,500, and at least $333 from the state discount.
Does Aurora have its own heat pump rebate?
We could not confirm one from a city page, so we list none. Check auroragov.org and ask your contractor.
Is the state's income-based rebate still open?
No. The Colorado Energy Office says the single-family program is closed, including Region 1, which covers Adams and Arapahoe counties.
Is Aurora part of the Power Ahead Colorado rebate area?
The program's FAQ names Aurora among the Denver Regional Council of Governments members, and Adams and Arapahoe counties are in the area. Your contractor confirms your address when they submit the project.
Do I need to replace my air conditioner at the same time?
No, but a heat pump does the cooling too, so replacing an air conditioner that is near the end of its life is the cheapest time to switch.
What to do next
Look at your last twelve months of Xcel bills so you know what you spend on heat. Then see our Aurora insulation rebate page, or the Aurora rebate hub.
By Sam Menard. Sources, last read October 5, 2026: Xcel Energy Colorado residential rebates, Xcel Energy 2026 rebate summary, Power Ahead Colorado rebate overview, Power Ahead Colorado FAQ, State heat pump tax credit page (Colorado Energy Office), Colorado Home Energy Rebate Program. All Aurora rebates → Every Xcel Energy Colorado rebate →