Best Thermostat Settings for Winter and Summer (2026)

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Every house has the thermostat argument. One person wants 72°F, another says that’s burning money, and someone keeps nudging it a degree when no one’s looking. There’s no single magic number, but there is a simple pattern that keeps the family comfortable and the bill lower, and it works in both seasons.

The best thermostat setting in winter is about 68°F while you’re awake and home, and lower while you sleep or are away. In summer, set it as warm as you’re comfortable with when you’re home (78°F is the number most often cited) and warmer when you’re out. The U.S. Department of Energy says turning the thermostat back 7 to 10°F for 8 hours a day can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling.

Thermostat settings at a glance

These are starting points built from DOE Energy Saver and ENERGY STAR guidance. Adjust a degree or two at a time until everyone’s comfortable.

When	Winter (heating)	Summer (cooling)
Home and awake	About 68°F (DOE: around 68 to 70°F)	As warm as is comfortable; 78°F is the common target
Asleep	Lower: a few degrees to 7–10°F below your daytime setting	About 4°F warmer than your daytime setting (ENERGY STAR guidance)
Away 8+ hours	7–10°F below your daytime setting	About 7°F warmer than your daytime setting (ENERGY STAR guidance)
Away for days	No lower than 55°F, to protect pipes (American Red Cross)	Warmer still, but keep humidity in check
Heat pump	Small setbacks (our suggestion: 1–3°F), or a thermostat with smart recovery	Normal setbacks are fine

Best thermostat setting for winter

DOE’s Energy Saver advice is to set the thermostat around 68 to 70°F while you’re awake, and lower while you’re asleep or away. The longer and deeper the setback, the more you save: DOE puts it at as much as 10% a year for a 7 to 10°F setback held for 8 hours a day, or roughly 1% for each degree if the setback lasts at least eight hours. Savings are a bigger share of the bill in milder climates.

A common worry is that the furnace “works harder” to warm the house back up, eating the savings. DOE says that’s a myth: once the house is cooler, it loses heat to the outdoors more slowly, so you use less energy overall.

For sleep, cooler is usually better anyway. The National Sleep Foundation and Cleveland Clinic put a comfortable bedroom for most adults at about 60 to 67°F. A setback to 62 to 65°F at night, with a warm blanket, saves energy and may help you sleep.

Don’t go too cold for the people in your home. The World Health Organization’s housing guidelines propose 18°C (about 64°F) as a safe minimum indoor temperature in cold seasons for the general population, and say a higher minimum may be needed for babies, older adults and people with heart or lung conditions. If that’s your household, keep setbacks gentle.

Best thermostat setting for summer

For cooling, DOE suggests keeping the house warmer than normal when you’re away, and setting the thermostat as high as is comfortable when you’re home and need cooling. The figure you’ll see everywhere is 78°F. It traces back to an ENERGY STAR example schedule (78°F home, 85°F away, 82°F asleep) that went viral in 2019. The EPA then clarified that ENERGY STAR isn’t recommending 78°F or any other temperature; its advice is to raise the setting about 7°F when the home is empty and about 4°F while you sleep, starting from whatever is comfortable for you.

Two easy wins: a ceiling fan lets you raise the thermostat about 4°F with no loss of comfort, according to DOE (turn fans off when you leave the room, since they cool people, not air). And don’t crank the thermostat down to 65°F when you get home. DOE says setting it colder than normal won’t cool the house any faster; it just risks overcooling and a higher bill.

Heat safety comes first. CDC says air conditioning is the strongest protection against heat-related illness, and that electric fans won’t prevent it when it’s in the high 90s. For older adults, babies or anyone with health conditions, don’t let the house get hot to save money.

Settings when you’re away

• Workday: set back 7 to 10°F in winter and about 7°F up in summer, timed to return to normal shortly before you get home.
• Winter vacation: the American Red Cross recommends keeping the heat on and set no lower than 55°F, so pipes don’t freeze. Pets staying home? Set it for them.
• Summer vacation: raise the setting rather than turning cooling off entirely in humid climates, so moisture doesn’t build up.

If you have a heat pump

Heat pumps are different in winter. DOE warns that setting back an ordinary thermostat on a heat pump can make it run inefficiently: when the thermostat calls for a big jump in temperature, the system may switch on its electric resistance backup heat, which costs far more to run and can wipe out the savings. Two fixes: keep winter setbacks small (a degree or two), or use a thermostat built for heat pumps that brings the temperature back slowly so the heat pump does the work. Summer setbacks are fine. See the best smart thermostat for a heat pump.

Let the thermostat do it for you

The best settings only save money if they actually happen every day. A Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory study found almost 90% of people with programmable thermostats rarely or never set a schedule. A smart thermostat handles setbacks automatically, using your phone’s location or a sensor to tell when the house is empty, and ENERGY STAR says certified models save about 8% on heating and cooling bills on average. Read more in do smart thermostats save money?

Prices change often. The prices below are what we saw at the maker or a major retailer in October 2026; check the current price before you buy.

The ecobee Enhanced uses a built-in radar sensor and your schedule to set back the temperature when no one’s home, supports heat pumps with auxiliary heat, and its eco+ features are free. The Nest Learning Thermostat builds a schedule from the temperatures you choose and includes a sensor for a second room. On a budget, the Amazon Smart Thermostat can adjust when Alexa guesses everyone has left or gone to bed. More options in the best smart thermostats of 2026 and smart thermostats with no subscription.

Check the ecobee Enhanced price on Amazon

More thermostat tips that save energy

• Keep heat sources away from it. DOE advises keeping lamps and TVs away from your thermostat; their heat makes it think the room is warmer than it is, so the AC runs longer.
• Change one thing at a time. Move the setting a degree a week; most people adapt without noticing.
• Use “Auto” for the fan. Running the fan “On” all day moves air but uses electricity; most homes are fine on Auto.
• Seal and insulate. Drafty windows and a thin attic make any setting feel colder or hotter. See how to lower your electric bill in winter and in summer.
• Ask about time-of-use rates. If your utility charges more in the late afternoon, pre-cool the house before the peak and let it drift up during it.

Keep exploring: our smart thermostats guide, smart vs programmable thermostats, how to lower your electric bill, heat pumps and thermal energy. More in Smart Thermostats.

Thermostat setting questions

What is the most energy-efficient temperature for winter?

About 68°F when you’re home and awake (DOE says around 68 to 70°F), and lower when you’re asleep or away. Turning the thermostat back 7 to 10°F for 8 hours a day can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling, according to DOE. Every degree lower saves a little more.

Is 78°F a good temperature for summer?

It’s a good target for saving energy when you’re home, and it’s the number most often cited. But the EPA says ENERGY STAR doesn’t recommend any specific temperature: set it as warm as you’re comfortable with, raise it about 4°F at night and about 7°F when you’re out. A ceiling fan lets you go about 4°F warmer comfortably.

Is it cheaper to leave the heat on all day?

For furnaces and boilers, no. DOE says a house that’s cooler loses heat more slowly, so a setback while you’re away saves energy even after the system warms the house back up. Heat pumps are the exception: big setbacks can trigger costly backup heat, so keep them small or use a thermostat with smart recovery.

What temperature should I set when I’m on vacation in winter?

No lower than 55°F, as the American Red Cross recommends, to keep pipes from freezing. Leave the heat on rather than off, and if pets are staying home, set it for their comfort. A smart thermostat lets you check on the house and raise the heat before you get back.

What’s the best temperature for sleeping?

Most adults sleep best in a cool room of about 60 to 67°F, according to the National Sleep Foundation and Cleveland Clinic. That fits nicely with a winter nighttime setback. Babies, older adults and people with health conditions may need a warmer room; follow your doctor’s advice.