What heat pump rebates pay in Boston
We re-read MassCEC's heat pump page on October 3, 2026. Mass Save's own site blocks our checks, so its rebate table comes from a July 16, 2026 snapshot. Every amount links to its source at the bottom. These are statewide Mass Save offers, so they are the same in every Boston neighbourhood.
Whole-home heat pump
$2,650 per ton. The heat pump must be your main heat, and the home needs enough insulation.
Partial-home heat pump
Up to $8,500, for heat pumps that heat part of the home alongside your old system. Integrated controls are required.
Income-based Enhanced Rebates
Or no cost, for households that qualify by income. This is not the standard amount.
Alternative Energy Certificates
A one-time state payment. MassCEC's example is a 2,000 square foot home with a whole-home system.
Mass Save HEAT Loan
Terms up to 7 years, to spread the rest of the cost.
Federal tax credit (25C)
Ended for equipment placed in service after December 31, 2025.
Working it out
A 3-ton whole-home system: 3 x $2,650 = $7,950. A 4-ton system would be $10,600 by the math, but the cap is $8,500. The same 3 tons as a partial-home system: 3 x $1,125 = $3,375. MassCEC's cost example for a 2,000 square foot home is $22,000 before incentives and $12,500 after the $8,500 rebate and $1,000 in certificates.
What Boston homes look like
The US Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2020 to 2024) counts 310,625 homes in Boston. About 64% of households rent and 36% own. Only 12% of homes are single-family detached houses, while 35% are in buildings with two to four units. Almost half (47%) were built before 1940, and 72% before 1980.
That shapes your heat pump plan. If you own a two- or three-family house, one owner can heat-pump the whole building, and a contractor can size it unit by unit. If you own a condo, the outdoor unit may need your association's approval. If you rent, the rebate goes to the owner, so the best move is to show your landlord this page.
What Boston homes heat with today
The same survey says 56% of Boston households heat with utility gas, 32% with electricity and about 7% with fuel oil. That 32% on electricity is high for Massachusetts. Many of those homes use electric baseboards, which cost the most to run. A heat pump makes two to three units of heat for every unit of power in mild weather, so baseboard homes save the most.
Gas-heated homes can still get the rebate. Mass Save pays when a heat pump replaces natural gas if your gas company sponsors Mass Save. The savings on your bill are smaller than for oil or baseboards, so ask your installer for a running-cost estimate as well as a price.
Does a heat pump keep up in a Boston winter?
Boston's average January low is about -5°C (23°F), and the coldest reading in the last ten years was -26.5°C. Cold-climate heat pumps on Mass Save's list keep heating well below the average low. On the few very cold nights, a properly sized system still works, but it works harder. Older brick and wood-frame buildings leak heat, which is why Mass Save asks for insulation before it pays the whole-home amount.
The rules that trip people up
Mass Save's heat pump rebates for 2026 have a few conditions that decide whether you get the big number or a small one. The system must be installed during 2026 by a contractor in Mass Save's Heat Pump Installer Network, and the equipment must be ENERGY STAR Cold Climate rated. Since January 1, 2026, heat pumps that use refrigerant with a global warming rating over 700, including the common R-410A, are off the qualified list. Ask your installer which refrigerant the model uses before you sign.
The whole-home rebate also asks that the home is insulated well enough, and you sign a form saying the heat pump will be your main heat. If you keep your old boiler or furnace running as the main heat, you are in the partial-home tier instead. Mass Save lists a $500 weatherization bonus and a $500 sizing bonus for partial-home systems. You apply after the install, and the deadline for 2026 installs is February 28, 2027.
Top-rated installers in Boston
Ranked by Google reviews (minimum five). We don't take referral fees or paid placements. Ask any installer whether they are in Mass Save's Heat Pump Installer Network before you sign.
How to get a heat pump rebate in Boston
- Book a free Mass Save Home Energy Assessment. It tells you whether your home needs insulation first, which the whole-home rebate asks for.
- If your income might qualify, ask about Enhanced Rebates before you get quotes. They can pay up to $16,000 or the full cost.
- Get at least two quotes from Heat Pump Installer Network contractors. Ask about tons, refrigerant and whether the system is sized to be your main heat.
- Have the system installed in 2026, then apply for the rebate by February 28, 2027.
- Claim your Alternative Energy Certificates through the state program, and use the 0% HEAT Loan for what is left if you need it.
Common questions
How much is the heat pump rebate in Boston?
Mass Save pays $2,650 per ton for a whole-home system, up to $8,500, or $1,125 per ton for a partial-home system. Households that qualify by income can get up to $16,000 or a no-cost system.
Who gets the heat pump rebate if I rent in Boston?
The property owner applies. Renters can still book a free Mass Save Home Energy Assessment, and can share the rebate details with their landlord.
Who is the electric utility in Boston?
Boston is not on National Grid's list of Massachusetts towns, and our utility fact lists it as Eversource. Both are Mass Save sponsors, so the rebates are the same.
Is there still a federal tax credit for heat pumps?
No. The federal 25C credit ended for equipment placed in service after December 31, 2025. The Mass Save rebate, the state's Alternative Energy Certificates and the 0% HEAT Loan are still open.
Will Mass Save pay for an R-410A heat pump?
No. Since January 1, 2026, heat pumps using refrigerant with a global warming rating over 700, including R-410A, were removed from Mass Save's qualified list.
How much does a whole-home heat pump cost after rebates?
MassCEC's example is a 2,000 square foot home: about $22,000 before incentives and about $12,500 after the $8,500 Mass Save rebate and $1,000 in certificates. Your quote will differ.
What to do next
Book the free assessment first. Then read our Boston insulation rebate page, since insulation is what unlocks the whole-home amount, or see the full list of Mass Save rebates.
By Sam Menard. Sources, last read October 3, 2026: MassCEC: Air-source heat pumps (rebates, AECs, loans), Mass Save: Air-source heat pump rebates (snapshot July 16, 2026), Mass Save Heat Pump Qualified Product List, IRS: Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit, US Census Bureau ACS 5-year 2020-2024, table B25040 (house heating fuel). All Boston rebates → Every Mass Save rebate →