How are homes heated in San Rafael, CA?

Name: Heating fuel in San Rafael, 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 Rafael, used by 61.2% (±3.0 points) of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

33.8% heat with electricity.

0.0% heat with fuel oil or kerosene.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Utility gas: 61.2% (±3.0 points)
Electricity: 33.8%
Fuel oil, kerosene: 0.0%

Heating fuel in San Rafael

Occupied housing units by house heating fuel, 2020–2024
Fuel used most	San Rafael	Marin County	California	United States
Utility gas	61.2% (±3.0 points)	66.6%	61.0%	46.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.	0.0% (±0.2 points)	0.0%	0.2%	3.9%
Electricity	33.8% (±2.7 points)	25.9%	29.5%	41.3%
Bottled or tank gas (propane)	2.4% (±1.3 points)	4.0%	3.4%	4.9%
Wood	0.2% (±0.2 points)	0.9%	1.3%	1.4%
Solar energy	0.7% (±0.4 points)	1.3%	1.2%	0.3%
Coal or coke	0.0% (±0.2 points)	0.0%	0.0%	0.1%
Other fuel	0.2% (±0.2 points)	0.3%	0.3%	0.5%
No fuel used	1.5% (±0.6 points)	0.9%	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 Rafael, the share of homes heating with fuel oil is not measurably different from Marin County (0.0%).

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

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

In San Rafael, the share of homes heating with electricity is higher than in Marin County (25.9%).

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 Rafael

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with San Rafael
Place	Distance	Homes heated by electricity	Compared with this place
San Rafael	—	33.8% (±2.7 points)	—
Santa Venetia	1.7 mi	31.9% (±10.3 points)	Not measurably different
Larkspur	3.1 mi	32.3% (±5.1 points)	Not measurably different
Ross	3.2 mi	10.6% (±4.8 points)	Lower
Corte Madera	3.4 mi	19.3% (±4.8 points)	Lower
San Anselmo	3.4 mi	20.8% (±4.5 points)	Lower
Kentfield	4.2 mi	17.0% (±4.9 points)	Lower
Fairfax	4.8 mi	16.8% (±4.9 points)	Lower
Sleepy Hollow	4.9 mi	16.6% (±9.6 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Ross, CA (10.6%), Corte Madera, CA (19.3%), San Anselmo, CA (20.8%).

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

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

Rank	Place	Homes heated by fuel oil
3 (tie)	Fairfax	0.0% (±1.3 points)
3 (tie)	Larkspur	0.0% (±0.7 points)
3 (tie)	Mill Valley	0.0% (±0.7 points)
3 (tie)	Novato	0.0% (±0.2 points)
3 (tie)	Ross	0.0% (±4.9 points)
3 (tie)	San Anselmo	0.0% (±0.8 points)
3 (tie)	San Rafael	0.0% (±0.2 points)
3 (tie)	Tiburon	0.0% (±1.2 points)
3 (tie)	Alto	0.0% (±9.0 points)
3 (tie)	Black Point-Green Point	0.0% (±5.8 points)
3 (tie)	Bolinas	0.0% (±6.4 points)
3 (tie)	Inverness	0.0% (±4.9 points)
3 (tie)	Kentfield	0.0% (±1.6 points)

Showing 13 of 24 places in Marin 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 Rafael

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

Utility gas is the most common heating fuel in San Rafael, used by 61.2% of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many homes in San Rafael heat with oil?

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

How many homes in San Rafael have electric heat?

33.8% (±2.7 points) of occupied homes in San Rafael heat mainly with electricity, which includes heat pumps.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — San Rafael 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 Rafael city, California (place:68364, 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.