How are homes heated in Foster City, CA?

Name: Heating fuel in Foster City, 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 Foster City, used by 56.7% (±2.9 points) of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

40.6% heat with electricity.

0.0% heat with fuel oil or kerosene.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Utility gas: 56.7% (±2.9 points)
Electricity: 40.6%
Fuel oil, kerosene: 0.0%

Heating fuel in Foster City

Occupied housing units by house heating fuel, 2020–2024
Fuel used most	Foster City	San Mateo County	California	United States
Utility gas	56.7% (±2.9 points)	62.8%	61.0%	46.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.	0.0% (±0.3 points)	0.1%	0.2%	3.9%
Electricity	40.6% (±2.8 points)	31.8%	29.5%	41.3%
Bottled or tank gas (propane)	1.1% (±0.6 points)	2.1%	3.4%	4.9%
Wood	0.0% (±0.3 points)	0.4%	1.3%	1.4%
Solar energy	0.2% (±0.2 points)	0.6%	1.2%	0.3%
Coal or coke	0.0% (±0.3 points)	0.0%	0.0%	0.1%
Other fuel	0.1% (±0.1 points)	0.2%	0.3%	0.5%
No fuel used	1.3% (±0.9 points)	2.0%	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 Foster City, the share of homes heating with fuel oil is not measurably different from San Mateo County (0.1%).

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

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

In Foster City, the share of homes heating with electricity is higher than in San Mateo County (31.8%).

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

It is not measurably different from the national figure (41.3%).

Homes heated by electricity in places near Foster City

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Foster City
Place	Distance	Homes heated by electricity	Compared with this place
Foster City	—	40.6% (±2.8 points)	—
San Mateo	3.3 mi	39.2% (±1.9 points)	Not measurably different
Redwood City	4.0 mi	36.5% (±2.3 points)	Lower
Belmont	4.2 mi	30.2% (±3.4 points)	Lower
San Carlos	4.6 mi	22.7% (±2.8 points)	Lower
Baywood Park	5.6 mi	14.8% (±9.9 points)	Lower
Hillsborough	5.9 mi	19.4% (±5.0 points)	Lower
Highlands	6.1 mi	15.3% (±5.0 points)	Lower
Burlingame	6.4 mi	35.6% (±3.5 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Redwood City, CA (36.5%), Belmont, CA (30.2%), San Carlos, CA (22.7%).

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

Homes heated by fuel oil across San Mateo County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes heated by fuel oil
10 (tie)	Atherton	0.0% (±1.9 points)
10 (tie)	Belmont	0.0% (±0.4 points)
10 (tie)	Brisbane	0.0% (±2.2 points)
10 (tie)	Burlingame	0.0% (±0.3 points)
10 (tie)	Daly City	0.0% (±0.1 points)
10 (tie)	East Palo Alto	0.0% (±0.5 points)
10 (tie)	Foster City	0.0% (±0.3 points)
10 (tie)	Half Moon Bay	0.0% (±1.0 points)
10 (tie)	Hillsborough	0.0% (±1.2 points)
10 (tie)	Pacifica	0.0% (±0.3 points)
10 (tie)	San Carlos	0.0% (±0.4 points)
10 (tie)	South San Francisco	0.0% (±0.2 points)
10 (tie)	Baywood Park	0.0% (±7.1 points)

Showing 13 of 31 places in San Mateo 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 Foster City

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

Utility gas is the most common heating fuel in Foster City, used by 56.7% of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many homes in Foster City heat with oil?

0.0% (±0.3 points) of occupied homes in Foster City use fuel oil or kerosene as their main heating fuel.

How many homes in Foster City have electric heat?

40.6% (±2.8 points) of occupied homes in Foster City heat mainly with electricity, which includes heat pumps.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Foster City 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 Foster City city, California (place:25338, 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.