How are homes heated in San Luis Obispo, CA?

Name: Heating fuel in San Luis Obispo, 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 San Luis Obispo, used by 61.8% (±2.8 points) of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

31.4% heat with electricity.

0.0% heat with fuel oil or kerosene.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Utility gas: 61.8% (±2.8 points)
Electricity: 31.4%
Fuel oil, kerosene: 0.0%

Heating fuel in San Luis Obispo

Occupied housing units by house heating fuel, 2020–2024
Fuel used most	San Luis Obispo	San Luis Obispo County	California	United States
Utility gas	61.8% (±2.8 points)	65.5%	61.0%	46.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.	0.0% (±0.2 points)	0.0%	0.2%	3.9%
Electricity	31.4% (±2.8 points)	20.7%	29.5%	41.3%
Bottled or tank gas (propane)	2.0% (±0.8 points)	7.7%	3.4%	4.9%
Wood	0.4% (±0.5 points)	2.5%	1.3%	1.4%
Solar energy	2.0% (±0.8 points)	1.9%	1.2%	0.3%
Coal or coke	0.0% (±0.1 points)	0.0%	0.0%	0.1%
Other fuel	0.2% (±0.2 points)	0.5%	0.3%	0.5%
No fuel used	2.2% (±0.9 points)	1.2%	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 San Luis Obispo, the share of homes heating with fuel oil is not measurably different from San Luis Obispo County (0.0%).

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

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

In San Luis Obispo, the share of homes heating with electricity is higher than in San Luis Obispo County (20.7%).

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 San Luis Obispo

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with San Luis Obispo
Place	Distance	Homes heated by electricity	Compared with this place
San Luis Obispo	—	31.4% (±2.8 points)	—
California Polytechnic State University	2.8 mi	19.7% (±29.2 points)	Not measurably different
Los Ranchos	4.3 mi	14.9% (±9.7 points)	Lower
Avila Beach	5.5 mi	31.5% (±24.2 points)	Not measurably different
Pismo Beach	7.8 mi	17.1% (±4.0 points)	Lower
Santa Margarita	9.2 mi	2.3% (±4.1 points)	Lower
Los Osos	9.2 mi	17.0% (±4.0 points)	Lower
Grover Beach	10 mi	13.2% (±3.9 points)	Lower
Arroyo Grande	11 mi	22.9% (±3.9 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Los Ranchos, CA (14.9%), Pismo Beach, CA (17.1%), Santa Margarita, CA (2.3%).

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

Homes heated by fuel oil across San Luis Obispo County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes heated by fuel oil
1 (tie)	Atascadero	0.2% (±0.3 points)
1 (tie)	Grover Beach	0.2% (±0.2 points)
3 (tie)	Arroyo Grande	0.0% (±0.5 points)
3 (tie)	El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles)	0.0% (±0.4 points)
3 (tie)	Morro Bay	0.0% (±0.8 points)
3 (tie)	Pismo Beach	0.0% (±1.0 points)
3 (tie)	San Luis Obispo	0.0% (±0.2 points)
3 (tie)	Avila Beach	0.0% (±7.0 points)
3 (tie)	California Polytechnic State University	0.0% (±40.2 points)
3 (tie)	Callender	0.0% (±4.8 points)
3 (tie)	Cambria	0.0% (±1.5 points)
3 (tie)	Cayucos	0.0% (±3.2 points)
3 (tie)	Lake Nacimiento	0.0% (±3.3 points)

Showing 13 of 22 places in San Luis Obispo 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 San Luis Obispo

What is the most common way to heat a home in San Luis Obispo?

Utility gas is the most common heating fuel in San Luis Obispo, used by 61.8% of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many homes in San Luis Obispo heat with oil?

0.0% (±0.2 points) of occupied homes in San Luis Obispo use fuel oil or kerosene as their main heating fuel.

How many homes in San Luis Obispo have electric heat?

31.4% (±2.8 points) of occupied homes in San Luis Obispo heat mainly with electricity, which includes heat pumps.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — San Luis Obispo 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 San Luis Obispo city, California (place:68154, 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.