How are homes heated in Santa Maria, CA?

Name: Heating fuel in Santa Maria, 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 Santa Maria, used by 71.1% (±2.3 points) of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

18.9% heat with electricity.

0.2% heat with fuel oil or kerosene.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Utility gas: 71.1% (±2.3 points)
Electricity: 18.9%
Fuel oil, kerosene: 0.2%

Heating fuel in Santa Maria

Occupied housing units by house heating fuel, 2020–2024
Fuel used most	Santa Maria	Santa Barbara County	California	United States
Utility gas	71.1% (±2.3 points)	68.9%	61.0%	46.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.	0.2% (±0.2 points)	0.1%	0.2%	3.9%
Electricity	18.9% (±1.7 points)	22.8%	29.5%	41.3%
Bottled or tank gas (propane)	2.2% (±0.9 points)	2.7%	3.4%	4.9%
Wood	0.3% (±0.2 points)	0.4%	1.3%	1.4%
Solar energy	0.8% (±0.4 points)	0.8%	1.2%	0.3%
Coal or coke	0.0% (±0.1 points)	0.0%	0.0%	0.1%
Other fuel	0.1% (±0.1 points)	0.2%	0.3%	0.5%
No fuel used	6.5% (±1.1 points)	4.0%	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 Santa Maria, the share of homes heating with fuel oil is not measurably different from Santa Barbara County (0.1%).

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

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

In Santa Maria, the share of homes heating with electricity is lower than in Santa Barbara County (22.8%).

It is also lower than in California (29.5%).

It is lower than the national figure (41.3%).

Homes heated by electricity in places near Santa Maria

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Santa Maria
Place	Distance	Homes heated by electricity	Compared with this place
Santa Maria	—	18.9% (±1.7 points)	—
Orcutt	4.6 mi	12.1% (±2.8 points)	Lower
Nipomo	7.4 mi	16.3% (±4.7 points)	Not measurably different
Guadalupe	7.7 mi	18.1% (±6.0 points)	Not measurably different
Woodlands	9.0 mi	7.2% (±5.8 points)	Lower
Callender	11 mi	15.4% (±11.2 points)	Not measurably different
Vandenberg AFB	15 mi	21.0% (±7.6 points)	Not measurably different
Oceano	15 mi	16.7% (±5.3 points)	Not measurably different
Vandenberg Village	15 mi	23.0% (±7.4 points)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Orcutt, CA (12.1%), Woodlands, CA (7.2%).

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

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

Rank	Place	Homes heated by fuel oil
1	Goleta	0.3% (±0.2 points)
2 (tie)	Santa Maria	0.2% (±0.2 points)
2 (tie)	Eastern Goleta Valley	0.2% (±0.3 points)
2 (tie)	Isla Vista	0.2% (±0.3 points)
5 (tie)	Buellton	0.0% (±2.2 points)
5 (tie)	Carpinteria	0.0% (±0.8 points)
5 (tie)	Guadalupe	0.0% (±2.0 points)
5 (tie)	Lompoc	0.0% (±0.3 points)

Showing 8 of 22 places in Santa Barbara 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 Santa Maria

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

Utility gas is the most common heating fuel in Santa Maria, used by 71.1% of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many homes in Santa Maria heat with oil?

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

How many homes in Santa Maria have electric heat?

18.9% (±1.7 points) of occupied homes in Santa Maria heat mainly with electricity, which includes heat pumps.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Santa Maria 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 Santa Maria city, California (place:69196, 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.