Heating: "Forced Air, Gas" vs. Electric

 I am looking at homes in two regions of a certain state.

More southern region: Evidently has no gas pipelines, so
heating of homes is mostly by "electric." Used to be a kind
of hunter's and boater's haven, with I think
spring-summer-fall use only cottages. In the last 15 years,
it's become more developed. The homes are more significant
and many civilized folks (including retirees) live year
round in this area and parts of it resemble suburbia. Also,
occasionally I see a house in this area set up for
"propane." The electric heating scares the heck out of me,
utility bill wise and comfort wise. Is this fear well
placed? Any comments on using propane? (I buy a propane tank
periodically and have a furnace for it, right?)

More northern one: most homes appear to have "Forced air,
gas" heating. Located in and about a medium-sized city. How
do you interpret "forced air, gas" heating? Is this a
combination of electric and gas, or is it the usual gas
furnace common to more northern, more populated locales?

I do not like what I read about heat pumps (and can't buy
into their being more efficient than electric heat) but will
hear out others who feel otherwise.

I sure appreciate your experience and input. I want to be
comfortable in my home without paying an arm and a leg, if
possible.

  Electric heating is indeed more expensive to run than gas or
propane.  Whether or not it's more or less *comfortable* is an
entirely different question.  If it's forced air electric,
i.e., an electric furnace in the basement heating up air that
gets blown through the house, it won't feel any different than
forced air gas.  Similarly, radiators with an electric furnace
heating the water or steam won't feel any different from
radiators with a gas furnace doing the heating.  However, if
the electric heat is, e.g., baseboard heaters in every room,
that'll be more expensive than a furnace heating air or
radiators, and the heating in each room may not be as even as
with forced air, but probably won't feel much different from
radiators.

Propane will probably be closer in cost to gas than to
electric, but I'm not sure how big the propane tank is or how
often you have to refill it (probably not that often in warm
southern climates).  You lose the convenience of the gas
being pumped right into your house.

"Forced air, gas" means a gas furnace transferring heat to
air which is then blown through vents throughout the house.
It's the forced hot air you're used to seeing in the north.

However, some houses may have forced air in some rooms and
electric in other rooms (e.g., our house has electric
baseboard heating in the two attic rooms and one of the
bathrooms, and gas-heated forced hot air in the rest of the
house).

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 Jonathan, thanks. Your comments clarified these issues a
lot.

 Also suggest you take the time to insulate well as this can make a huge
difference to the bills .I have a mix elec and wood in my cottage and
find exceot in the late fall Sept and Oct do I need the elect in the
night and possible early morning rest of day can be wood ,get a good
woodstove one that is very efficent. Mine will burnat proper settings
for upwards of 6 hrs on 3or4 logs after you get it going . Good Luck
propane is not very good in cold weather
Elle wrote:

 Thanks Jim. I am not going to go so far from civilization
that a wood burning stove will be necessary. Rather, I
refuse too. I'm too lazy for that these days. OTOH many of
the houses have fireplaces.

I will keep in mind your counsel on propane and start
studying up on the insulation of my next home purchase.