How are homes heated in San Mateo, CA?

Name: Heating fuel in San Mateo, 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 Mateo, used by 55.1% (±1.8 points) of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

39.2% heat with electricity.

0.1% heat with fuel oil or kerosene.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Utility gas: 55.1% (±1.8 points)
Electricity: 39.2%
Fuel oil, kerosene: 0.1%

Heating fuel in San Mateo

Occupied housing units by house heating fuel, 2020–2024
Fuel used most	San Mateo	San Mateo County	California	United States
Utility gas	55.1% (±1.8 points)	62.8%	61.0%	46.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.	0.1% (±0.2 points)	0.1%	0.2%	3.9%
Electricity	39.2% (±1.9 points)	31.8%	29.5%	41.3%
Bottled or tank gas (propane)	1.8% (±0.6 points)	2.1%	3.4%	4.9%
Wood	0.2% (±0.1 points)	0.4%	1.3%	1.4%
Solar energy	0.6% (±0.2 points)	0.6%	1.2%	0.3%
Coal or coke	0.0% (±0.1 points)	0.0%	0.0%	0.1%
Other fuel	0.3% (±0.2 points)	0.2%	0.3%	0.5%
No fuel used	2.6% (±0.7 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 San Mateo, 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 San Mateo, 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 lower than the national figure (41.3%).

Homes heated by electricity in places near San Mateo

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with San Mateo
Place	Distance	Homes heated by electricity	Compared with this place
San Mateo	—	39.2% (±1.9 points)	—
Hillsborough	2.6 mi	19.4% (±5.0 points)	Lower
Baywood Park	2.7 mi	14.8% (±9.9 points)	Lower
Foster City	3.3 mi	40.6% (±2.8 points)	Not measurably different
Belmont	3.3 mi	30.2% (±3.4 points)	Lower
Highlands	3.4 mi	15.3% (±5.0 points)	Lower
Burlingame	3.5 mi	35.6% (±3.5 points)	Not measurably different
San Carlos	4.8 mi	22.7% (±2.8 points)	Lower
Millbrae	5.7 mi	32.3% (±3.8 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Hillsborough, CA (19.4%), Baywood Park, CA (14.8%), Belmont, CA (30.2%).

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
3	Woodside	1.0% (±1.0 points)
4	Portola Valley	0.9% (±1.5 points)
5	Menlo Park	0.6% (±0.7 points)
6	Millbrae	0.3% (±0.3 points)
7 (tie)	Redwood City	0.1% (±0.1 points)
7 (tie)	San Bruno	0.1% (±0.1 points)
7 (tie)	San Mateo	0.1% (±0.2 points)
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)

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 San Mateo

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

Utility gas is the most common heating fuel in San Mateo, used by 55.1% of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many homes in San Mateo heat with oil?

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

How many homes in San Mateo have electric heat?

39.2% (±1.9 points) of occupied homes in San Mateo heat mainly with electricity, which includes heat pumps.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — San Mateo 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 Mateo city, California (place:68252, 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.