Oak Firewood Cost Calculator
The national estimate is adjusted by your state's overall price level (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2022, U.S.=100). This is a cost-of-living proxy applied to the national oak firewood price — not a per-state oak firewood quote. Always get local quotes before buying.
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Oak lands at $250–$500 a cord versus $150–$350 for mixed hardwood because you’re buying stored heat, not stacked wood: a white oak cord holds roughly 26.3 MMBTU and red oak 24.6, while a mixed-hardwood cord carries just 18–22 MMBTU. Those extra BTUs per cord mean fewer reloads and longer overnight burns, so oak’s premium is worth paying when it’s your primary heat. For a supplemental weekend stove, that stored heat mostly sits unused and mixed hardwood is the smarter buy.[1]
Oak buyers ask one question: is the higher price worth it? The honest answer is that oak costs more per cord but also carries more heat per cord, so the fair comparison is dollars per MMBTU, not dollars per cord. This page runs that comparison for you.[1]
Live fuel prices by state
Retail residential prices from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Updated Jul 21, 2026
| Fuel | Price | $/million BTU | Data vintage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Propane | $1.98/gal | $21.64 | U.S. average |
| Natural gas | $19.18/Mcf | $18.47 | U.S. average |
| Electricity | $0.1932/kWh | $56.63 | U.S. average |
Source: EIA Heating Oil & Propane Update · EIA Electricity Data · EIA Natural Gas Data
Wet oak is the $500 mistake
Oak’s whole value is its density, and wet oak throws that away; it hisses, smokes, coats your chimney with creosote, and heats less than dry mixed hardwood. Never pay the oak premium for wood that isn’t under 20% moisture. Ask when it was split and stacked, and meter a fresh face before you accept the load.[4]
What a cord of oak actually buys you versus mixed hardwood
A cord is 128 stacked cubic feet (a 4×4×8 stack), and that volume is identical whether it's oak or a mixed load. What changes is density: oak is one of the heaviest domestic firewoods, so the same 128 cubic feet packs more mass and therefore more heat than a mixed cord carrying lighter species like maple, ash, and birch. That density is the entire reason oak costs more per cord and burns longer per load.[1]
Why your oak quote runs $100+ over a mixed-hardwood price
The gap is heat output priced in. Oak's high density means slower, hotter, longer burns, which is exactly what a primary-heat household wants and what suppliers charge for. But density also means oak seasons slowly, often 12–24 months to dry properly, so a legitimate oak cord ties up the supplier's yard space far longer than fast-drying species, and that carrying cost is baked into the price. Delivery is quoted separately at $50–$200 depending on distance and load size.[1]
Oak vs. mixed hardwood: price and heat-cost side by side
| Wood | Price per cord | Heat content (MMBTU/cord) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| White oak | $250–$500 | 26.3 | Primary heat, long overnight burns |
| Red oak | $250–$500 | 24.6 | Primary heat, easier to season than white |
| Mixed hardwood | $150–$350 | 18–22 | Supplemental stoves, shoulder season |
| Delivery (either) | $50–$200 | — | Added to every load; ask upfront |
The seasoning test that separates real oak value from a wet cord
Oak's advantage vanishes if it's wet. Unseasoned oak below the ~20% moisture target wastes a chunk of its energy boiling off water instead of heating your home, and it produces the creosote and smoke the EPA warns drives most wood-heat health and chimney-fire risk. Check three things on delivery: cracks radiating from the end grain, a hollow clunk when two pieces are knocked together, and gray weathered ends rather than fresh yellow. A moisture meter reading under 20% on a fresh split face is the only real proof.[4]
Buy green oak a year ahead and season it yourself
The cheapest legitimate oak is green oak you season yourself. Since oak commands its premium partly for the 12–24 months of yard time it needs to dry, buying it green near the bottom of the $250–$500 range and stacking it off the ground, top-covered, and open to wind for a full year captures that spread yourself. You need the storage space and the patience, but it's the single biggest oak savings lever.[1]
Mix your load: oak for overnight, cheaper hardwood for daytime
You rarely need a full oak stock. Burn mixed hardwood at $150–$350 during the day when you're feeding the stove anyway, and save oak's long burn for overnight and unattended stretches. A blended two-cord order of one oak and one mixed cuts your fuel bill versus all-oak while keeping the low-maintenance overnight burns that made you want oak in the first place.[1]
Insist on the 4×4×8 measurement before comparing quotes
The most common oak overcharge is a short cord. A full cord is 128 cubic feet stacked tight; "face cords," "racks," and "truckloads" are undersized and unregulated terms. Have the supplier stack it or state the exact dimensions, and price every quote against the same 128 cubic feet before you decide oak is or isn't worth the premium.[1]
| Rate | Range | Unit | What drives the spread | Source | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White oak BTU/cord | 26.3 | MMBTU/cord | EIA AER Table A2 | [1] | 2026 |
| Red oak BTU/cord | 24.6 | MMBTU/cord | EIA AER Table A2 | [1] | 2026 |
| Mixed hardwood BTU/cord | 18–22 | MMBTU/cord | EIA AER Table A2 | [1] | 2026 |
Rates current as of 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Is oak firewood actually worth the extra $100+ over mixed hardwood?
It comes down to how you heat. Oak at $250–$500 a cord packs 24.6–26.3 MMBTU per cord versus 18–22 MMBTU for mixed hardwood, so oak delivers more heat per load, but at a higher price per cord.
But oak's density buys something mixed can't: long, steady overnight burns and fewer trips to the stove. If it's your primary heat, that operational advantage justifies the premium. If you burn a few evenings a week, you're paying for density you never fully use.[1]
How much oak firewood will I actually need for the winter?
Your usage tier sets the budget. 1 cord ($250–$500) covers a supplemental stove used on cold evenings. 2 cords ($50–$200–$2000–$1,000) handles primary heat through a mild winter. 4 cords ($1,000–$2,000) is typical for primary heat in a cold climate, and 6 cords ($1,500–$3,000) is a full stock for a long, hard winter.
Oak's slow, complete burn means you'll often get more heated hours per cord than a mixed load, so err toward the lower cord count and reorder if you run short.[1]
Red oak or white oak: does it matter which I buy?
They're close enough that price shouldn't differ: both fall in the $250–$500 range. On heat content, white oak holds about 26.3 MMBTU per cord and red oak 24.6, a difference too small to drive your decision.
The practical split is seasoning: red oak dries faster and is more widely sold, while white oak is denser and takes longer to cure. If you're buying green to season yourself, red oak is the more forgiving choice.[1]
How do I know the oak I'm buying isn't wet or fake?
Oak sold too soon is the biggest way buyers lose their premium. Wet wood burns off its energy as steam and, per the EPA, produces the smoke and creosote behind most chimney fires and wood-smoke health risks.
Check for radial cracks on the end grain, a hollow clunk when two splits are knocked together, and gray, weathered ends. The definitive test is a moisture meter reading under 20% on a freshly split face, not the outside surface.[4]
Should I heat with oak or just stick with propane?
The answer flips by state. Where propane is cheap, oak's savings narrow; where propane is expensive, oak wins comfortably on cost per unit of heat.
In states like Texas and Minnesota, propane sits well below the national average and the gap tightens. In Massachusetts, propane runs far above average and oak's heat is the cheaper path. The state selector on the calculator pulls live EIA propane and electric rates so you can compare oak against your actual local fuel prices rather than a national guess.[1]