How do I convert natural gas prices in dollars per cubic feet to dollars per British thermal unit or therm?
In the United States, natural gas can be priced in units of dollars per therm ($/therm), dollars per million British thermal units ($/MMBtu), or dollars per cubic foot ($/cf).1 You need the heat content of natural gas per physical unit (such as British thermal unit [Btu] per cubic foot to convert these prices from one price basis to another.
In 2025, the U.S. annual average heat content of natural gas delivered to end-use sectors averaged about 1,037 Btu/cfu. Therefore:
- 100 cubic feet (1 Ccf) of natural gas equals 103,700 Btu, or 1.037 therms
- 1,000 cubic feet (Mcf) of natural gas equals 1.037 MMBtu, or 10.37 therms
You can convert natural gas prices from one price basis to another with these formulas (assuming the natural gas heat content is 1,037 Btu/cf):
- $/Ccf divided by 1.037 equals $/therm
- $/therm multiplied by 1.037 equals $/Ccf
- $/Mcf divided by 1.037 equals $/MMBtu
- $/Mcf divided by 10.37 equals $/therm
- $/MMBtu multiplied by 1.037 equals $/Mcf
- $/therm multiplied by 10.37 equals $/Mcf
The heat content of natural gas may vary by location and by type of natural gas consumer, and it may vary over time. Consumers and analysts should contact natural gas distribution companies or natural gas suppliers for information on the heat content of the natural gas they supply to their customers. Some natural gas distribution companies or utilities may provide this information on customers' bills.
1 EIA reports natural gas in volumes of cubic feet through 1964 at a pressure base of 14.65 psia (pounds per square inch absolute) at 60° Fahrenheit. Beginning in 1965, the pressure base changed to 14.73 psia at 60° Fahrenheit.
Learn more:
Average annual and monthly heat content of natural gas consumed by state
Newly released heat content data allow for state-to-state natural gas comparisons
Natural gas conversion calculator
Other FAQs about Electricity
- How old are U.S. nuclear power plants, and when was the newest one built?
- How much coal, natural gas, or petroleum is used to generate a kilowatthour of electricity?
- How many smart meters are installed in the United States, and who has them?
- What is the outlook for home heating fuel prices this winter?
- How much does it cost to generate electricity with different types of power plants?
- Does EIA publish electric utility rate, tariff, and demand-charge data?
- Can customers choose their electricity supplier?
- Does EIA have data on each power plant in the United States?
- What types and amounts of energy are produced in each state?
- How much of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions are associated with electricity generation?
- How much of U.S. energy production and consumption comes from renewable energy sources?
- Does EIA publish energy consumption and price data for cities, counties, or by zip code?
- How many power plants are in the United States?
- Does EIA project energy production, consumption, or prices for individual states?
- How much electricity is used for lighting in the United States?
- What is U.S. electricity generation by energy source?
- How much does it cost to build different types of power plants in the United States?
- Does EIA publish data on peak or hourly electricity generation, demand, and prices?
- How much electricity is lost in electricity transmission and distribution in the United States?
- What is the efficiency of different types of power plants?
- Does EIA publish the location of electric power plants and transmission lines?
- How much carbon dioxide is produced per kilowatthour of U.S. electricity generation?
- What is the difference between electric generation capacity and electricity generation?
- How much electricity does a power plant generate?
- How much electricity is used for air conditioning in the United States?
- How many nuclear power plants are in the United States, and where are they located?
- How much electricity does an American home use?
- Does EIA have county-level energy production data?
- How is electricity used in U.S. homes?
- Does EIA publish electricity sales and price data by state and by utility?
- Does EIA publish data on costs for electricity transmission and distribution?
- How much of world energy production and consumption is from renewable energy?
- How much energy does the world consume by each energy end-use sector?
- Does EIA have information on unplanned outages of U.S. infrastructures?
- How many electric vehicles (EV) and EV charging stations are in the United States?