In U.S. homes, electric heating rises as natural gas slips

Although natural gas remains the most common heating fuel, American households are gradually switching to electricity. 

What’s happening: In 2024, 42 percent of U.S. households reported that electricity was their main space heating fuel, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported October 10, citing census data. That’s up from 35 percent in 2010.

• Meanwhile, natural gas was the main heating fuel in 47 percent of homes last year, down from 49 percent in 2010.

The big picture: The EIA attributed the shift to some state and local governments having banned natural gas in new residential construction or retrofit applications, alongside the adoption of heat pumps.

What they’re saying: “Homes exposed to the warmest temperatures throughout the year were more likely to use electricity as their main heating fuel or report that they did not use any fuel for space heating,” the EIA writes, based on data from its latest energy consumption survey.

• “By comparison, propane, heating oil, and wood space heating were more common in homes exposed to the coldest temperatures,” it adds.

What we’re watching: The U.S. population has been generally moving west and south, to areas with warmer weather, resulting in lower demand for space heating. 

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