How are homes heated in Bakersfield, CA?

Name: Heating fuel in Bakersfield, CA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Utility gas is the most common heating fuel in Bakersfield, used by 59.5% (±1.3 points) of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

34.2% heat with electricity.

0.1% heat with fuel oil or kerosene.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Utility gas: 59.5% (±1.3 points)
Electricity: 34.2%
Fuel oil, kerosene: 0.1%

Heating fuel in Bakersfield

Occupied housing units by house heating fuel, 2020–2024
Fuel used most	Bakersfield	Kern County	California	United States
Utility gas	59.5% (±1.3 points)	58.9%	61.0%	46.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.	0.1% (±0.1 points)	0.1%	0.2%	3.9%
Electricity	34.2% (±1.4 points)	31.2%	29.5%	41.3%
Bottled or tank gas (propane)	1.5% (±0.3 points)	3.7%	3.4%	4.9%
Wood	0.3% (±0.1 points)	1.5%	1.3%	1.4%
Solar energy	2.8% (±0.3 points)	2.3%	1.2%	0.3%
Coal or coke	0.0% (±0.1 points)	0.0%	0.0%	0.1%
Other fuel	0.1% (±0.1 points)	0.9%	0.3%	0.5%
No fuel used	1.5% (±0.3 points)	1.4%	3.0%	1.2%

The survey asks which fuel is used most to heat the home, so a home with a heat pump and an oil backup is counted once, under the one it uses most.

In Bakersfield, the share of homes heating with fuel oil is not measurably different from Kern County (0.1%).

It is not measurably different from California (0.2%).

It is lower than the national figure (3.9%).

In Bakersfield, the share of homes heating with electricity is higher than in Kern County (31.2%).

It is also higher than in California (29.5%).

It is lower than the national figure (41.3%).

Homes heated by electricity in places near Bakersfield

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Bakersfield
Place	Distance	Homes heated by electricity	Compared with this place
Bakersfield	—	34.2% (±1.4 points)	—
Old Stine	0.6 mi	27.5% (±9.1 points)	Not measurably different
Benton Park	0.7 mi	33.8% (±8.9 points)	Not measurably different
Casa Loma	2.3 mi	75.7% (±15.9 points)	Higher
Cottonwood (Kern County)	3.0 mi	83.4% (±9.6 points)	Higher
Rexland Acres	4.0 mi	63.5% (±12.8 points)	Higher
La Cresta	4.1 mi	42.3% (±6.7 points)	Higher
East Bakersfield	4.1 mi	55.4% (±7.2 points)	Higher
Potomac Park	4.2 mi	58.9% (±8.6 points)	Higher

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Casa Loma, CA (75.7%), Cottonwood (Kern County), CA (83.4%), Rexland Acres, CA (63.5%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Homes heated by fuel oil across Kern County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes heated by fuel oil
4 (tie)	Taft	0.6% (±1.0 points)
4 (tie)	Bear Valley Springs	0.6% (±0.9 points)
6 (tie)	McFarland	0.5% (±0.7 points)
6 (tie)	Hillcrest	0.5% (±0.7 points)
8 (tie)	California City	0.2% (±0.3 points)
8 (tie)	Wasco	0.2% (±0.3 points)
10 (tie)	Bakersfield	0.1% (±0.1 points)
10 (tie)	Rosedale	0.1% (±0.2 points)
12 (tie)	Arvin	0.0% (±0.9 points)
12 (tie)	Delano	0.0% (±0.4 points)
12 (tie)	Ridgecrest	0.0% (±0.4 points)
12 (tie)	Shafter	0.0% (±0.7 points)
12 (tie)	Tehachapi	0.0% (±1.2 points)

Showing 13 of 49 places in Kern County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Bakersfield

What is the most common way to heat a home in Bakersfield?

Utility gas is the most common heating fuel in Bakersfield, used by 59.5% of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many homes in Bakersfield heat with oil?

0.1% (±0.1 points) of occupied homes in Bakersfield use fuel oil or kerosene as their main heating fuel.

How many homes in Bakersfield have electric heat?

34.2% (±1.4 points) of occupied homes in Bakersfield heat mainly with electricity, which includes heat pumps.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Bakersfield city, California

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Bakersfield city, California (place:03526, in state:06).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0063PE, DP04_0063PM, DP04_0066PE, DP04_0066PM, DP04_0065PE, DP04_0065PM, DP04_0064PE, DP04_0064PM, DP04_0068PE, DP04_0068PM, DP04_0069PE, DP04_0069PM, DP04_0067PE, DP04_0067PM, DP04_0070PE, DP04_0070PM, DP04_0071PE, DP04_0071PM

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.