Clean heating can mitigate pollution issues in northern China, and affordable cost and security of power supply are keys to promoting clean heating. Therefore, this paper proposed a suitability-evaluation framework for ASHP (air source heat pump) heating in rural areas of northern China from a regional perspective. By establishing regional energy indicators and economic indicators, assess the energy and economic affordability of ASHP heating in rural areas based on scenario analysis. The results showed that regional energy affordability gradually decreased with the increase in residents" heating demand, which is influenced by the regional energy infrastructure, household size, and living habits. Furthermore, in scenarios ranging from basic to high demand, the proportion of heating operation costs in per capita disposable income (PCDI) is less than 10%, showing a high level of economic affordability. However, under medium to high-demand scenarios, the initial investment accounts for a proportion of 10.4% to 24.9% of the PCDI, indicating weak economic affordability. Rural residents require financial subsidies, otherwise, residents may face energy poverty and their acceptance of ASHP heating systems may also decrease. This research provides valuable insights for rural clean heating energy planning and policy-making.