How are homes heated in Costa Mesa, CA?

Name: Heating fuel in Costa Mesa, 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 Costa Mesa, used by 65.5% (±2.0 points) of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

27.6% heat with electricity.

0.1% heat with fuel oil or kerosene.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Utility gas: 65.5% (±2.0 points)
Electricity: 27.6%
Fuel oil, kerosene: 0.1%

Heating fuel in Costa Mesa

Occupied housing units by house heating fuel, 2020–2024
Fuel used most	Costa Mesa	Orange County	California	United States
Utility gas	65.5% (±2.0 points)	67.2%	61.0%	46.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.	0.1% (±0.2 points)	0.1%	0.2%	3.9%
Electricity	27.6% (±2.0 points)	26.8%	29.5%	41.3%
Bottled or tank gas (propane)	1.6% (±0.4 points)	1.5%	3.4%	4.9%
Wood	0.0% (±0.1 points)	0.1%	1.3%	1.4%
Solar energy	0.5% (±0.2 points)	0.8%	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)	0.1%	0.3%	0.5%
No fuel used	4.5% (±0.8 points)	3.3%	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 Costa Mesa, the share of homes heating with fuel oil is not measurably different from Orange County (0.1%).

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

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

In Costa Mesa, the share of homes heating with electricity is not measurably different from Orange County (26.8%).

It is not measurably different from California (29.5%).

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

Homes heated by electricity in places near Costa Mesa

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Costa Mesa
Place	Distance	Homes heated by electricity	Compared with this place
Costa Mesa	—	27.6% (±2.0 points)	—
Fountain Valley	3.8 mi	23.1% (±2.7 points)	Lower
Newport Beach	4.9 mi	29.6% (±1.9 points)	Not measurably different
Santa Ana	5.2 mi	25.4% (±1.1 points)	Not measurably different
Huntington Beach	5.7 mi	20.8% (±1.3 points)	Lower
Midway City	6.9 mi	29.4% (±7.0 points)	Not measurably different
Tustin	7.4 mi	28.5% (±2.4 points)	Not measurably different
Westminster	7.6 mi	25.0% (±2.3 points)	Not measurably different
Irvine	8.2 mi	34.8% (±1.3 points)	Higher

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Fountain Valley, CA (23.1%), Huntington Beach, CA (20.8%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Irvine, CA (34.8%).

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

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

Rank	Place	Homes heated by fuel oil
7 (tie)	Brea	0.2% (±0.4 points)
7 (tie)	Dana Point	0.2% (±0.3 points)
7 (tie)	Fountain Valley	0.2% (±0.3 points)
7 (tie)	La Habra	0.2% (±0.2 points)
7 (tie)	Tustin	0.2% (±0.3 points)
12 (tie)	Anaheim	0.1% (±0.1 points)
12 (tie)	Costa Mesa	0.1% (±0.2 points)
12 (tie)	Laguna Hills	0.1% (±0.1 points)
12 (tie)	Laguna Niguel	0.1% (±0.1 points)
12 (tie)	Lake Forest	0.1% (±0.1 points)
12 (tie)	Orange	0.1% (±0.1 points)
12 (tie)	Santa Ana	0.1% (±0.1 points)
12 (tie)	Seal Beach	0.1% (±0.1 points)

Showing 13 of 42 places in Orange 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 Costa Mesa

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

Utility gas is the most common heating fuel in Costa Mesa, used by 65.5% of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many homes in Costa Mesa heat with oil?

0.1% (±0.2 points) of occupied homes in Costa Mesa use fuel oil or kerosene as their main heating fuel.

How many homes in Costa Mesa have electric heat?

27.6% (±2.0 points) of occupied homes in Costa Mesa heat mainly with electricity, which includes heat pumps.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Costa Mesa 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 Costa Mesa city, California (place:16532, 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.