How are homes heated in Merced, CA?

Name: Heating fuel in Merced, 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 Merced, used by 61.0% (±2.4 points) of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

34.9% heat with electricity.

0.2% heat with fuel oil or kerosene.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Utility gas: 61.0% (±2.4 points)
Electricity: 34.9%
Fuel oil, kerosene: 0.2%

Heating fuel in Merced

Occupied housing units by house heating fuel, 2020–2024
Fuel used most	Merced	Merced County	California	United States
Utility gas	61.0% (±2.4 points)	61.5%	61.0%	46.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.	0.2% (±0.2 points)	0.1%	0.2%	3.9%
Electricity	34.9% (±2.4 points)	30.5%	29.5%	41.3%
Bottled or tank gas (propane)	0.9% (±0.4 points)	3.3%	3.4%	4.9%
Wood	0.2% (±0.1 points)	0.8%	1.3%	1.4%
Solar energy	2.0% (±0.5 points)	1.8%	1.2%	0.3%
Coal or coke	0.0% (±0.2 points)	0.0%	0.0%	0.1%
Other fuel	0.1% (±0.1 points)	1.2%	0.3%	0.5%
No fuel used	0.8% (±0.3 points)	0.6%	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 Merced, the share of homes heating with fuel oil is not measurably different from Merced County (0.1%).

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

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

In Merced, the share of homes heating with electricity is higher than in Merced County (30.5%).

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 Merced

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Merced
Place	Distance	Homes heated by electricity	Compared with this place
Merced	—	34.9% (±2.4 points)	—
Franklin	3.3 mi	29.6% (±9.9 points)	Not measurably different
McSwain	6.0 mi	23.8% (±7.0 points)	Lower
Atwater	7.4 mi	24.0% (±3.9 points)	Lower
Planada	8.7 mi	20.7% (±8.4 points)	Lower
Winton	9.4 mi	22.1% (±5.6 points)	Lower
Le Grand	13 mi	31.8% (±8.9 points)	Not measurably different
Livingston	15 mi	23.8% (±6.2 points)	Lower
Chowchilla	18 mi	34.3% (±6.6 points)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: McSwain, CA (23.8%), Atwater, CA (24.0%), Planada, CA (20.7%).

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

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

Rank	Place	Homes heated by fuel oil
1	Winton	0.9% (±1.4 points)
2	Merced	0.2% (±0.2 points)
3	Los Banos	0.1% (±0.2 points)
4 (tie)	Atwater	0.0% (±0.4 points)
4 (tie)	Dos Palos	0.0% (±2.0 points)
4 (tie)	Gustine	0.0% (±1.7 points)
4 (tie)	Livingston	0.0% (±1.2 points)
4 (tie)	Delhi	0.0% (±1.4 points)

Showing 8 of 15 places in Merced 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 Merced

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

Utility gas is the most common heating fuel in Merced, used by 61.0% of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many homes in Merced heat with oil?

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

How many homes in Merced have electric heat?

34.9% (±2.4 points) of occupied homes in Merced heat mainly with electricity, which includes heat pumps.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Merced 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 Merced city, California (place:46898, 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.