How are homes heated in Palo Alto, CA?

Name: Heating fuel in Palo Alto, 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 Palo Alto, used by 66.7% (±2.0 points) of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

30.5% heat with electricity.

0.1% heat with fuel oil or kerosene.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Utility gas: 66.7% (±2.0 points)
Electricity: 30.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene: 0.1%

Heating fuel in Palo Alto

Occupied housing units by house heating fuel, 2020–2024
Fuel used most	Palo Alto	Santa Clara County	California	United States
Utility gas	66.7% (±2.0 points)	58.5%	61.0%	46.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.	0.1% (±0.1 points)	0.1%	0.2%	3.9%
Electricity	30.5% (±1.9 points)	36.1%	29.5%	41.3%
Bottled or tank gas (propane)	1.3% (±0.4 points)	1.9%	3.4%	4.9%
Wood	0.2% (±0.2 points)	0.2%	1.3%	1.4%
Solar energy	0.3% (±0.2 points)	1.0%	1.2%	0.3%
Coal or coke	0.0% (±0.2 points)	0.0%	0.0%	0.1%
Other fuel	0.0% (±0.1 points)	0.2%	0.3%	0.5%
No fuel used	0.9% (±0.5 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 Palo Alto, the share of homes heating with fuel oil is not measurably different from Santa Clara County (0.1%).

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

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

In Palo Alto, the share of homes heating with electricity is lower than in Santa Clara County (36.1%).

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 Palo Alto

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Palo Alto
Place	Distance	Homes heated by electricity	Compared with this place
Palo Alto	—	30.5% (±1.9 points)	—
Los Altos Hills	2.1 mi	21.9% (±5.2 points)	Lower
Stanford	2.5 mi	55.1% (±7.0 points)	Higher
Ladera	3.1 mi	9.4% (±9.3 points)	Lower
Los Altos	3.2 mi	20.9% (±2.1 points)	Lower
Mountain View	3.5 mi	39.9% (±1.9 points)	Higher
Loyola	4.0 mi	14.4% (±3.7 points)	Lower
West Menlo Park	4.2 mi	19.4% (±7.2 points)	Lower
East Palo Alto	5.0 mi	31.0% (±3.9 points)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Los Altos Hills, CA (21.9%), Ladera, CA (9.4%), Los Altos, CA (20.9%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Stanford, CA (55.1%), Mountain View, CA (39.9%).

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

Homes heated by fuel oil across Santa Clara County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes heated by fuel oil
2	Cupertino	0.3% (±0.2 points)
3 (tie)	Los Altos Hills	0.2% (±0.4 points)
3 (tie)	Sunnyvale	0.2% (±0.2 points)
5 (tie)	Los Altos	0.1% (±0.1 points)
5 (tie)	Milpitas	0.1% (±0.2 points)
5 (tie)	Mountain View	0.1% (±0.1 points)
5 (tie)	Palo Alto	0.1% (±0.1 points)
5 (tie)	San Jose	0.1% (±0.1 points)
5 (tie)	Saratoga	0.1% (±0.2 points)
11 (tie)	Campbell	0.0% (±0.3 points)
11 (tie)	Gilroy	0.0% (±0.2 points)
11 (tie)	Los Gatos	0.0% (±0.3 points)
11 (tie)	Monte Sereno	0.0% (±3.2 points)

Showing 13 of 23 places in Santa Clara 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 Palo Alto

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

Utility gas is the most common heating fuel in Palo Alto, used by 66.7% of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many homes in Palo Alto heat with oil?

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

How many homes in Palo Alto have electric heat?

30.5% (±1.9 points) of occupied homes in Palo Alto heat mainly with electricity, which includes heat pumps.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Palo Alto 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 Palo Alto city, California (place:55282, 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.