How are homes heated in Dover, DE?

Name: Heating fuel in Dover, DE, 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 Dover, used by 52.6% (±4.0 points) of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

36.3% heat with electricity.

6.7% heat with fuel oil or kerosene.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Utility gas: 52.6% (±4.0 points)
Electricity: 36.3%
Fuel oil, kerosene: 6.7%

Heating fuel in Dover

Occupied housing units by house heating fuel, 2020–2024
Fuel used most	Dover	Kent County	Delaware	United States
Utility gas	52.6% (±4.0 points)	40.6%	41.9%	46.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.	6.7% (±1.9 points)	10.0%	8.8%	3.9%
Electricity	36.3% (±3.8 points)	33.6%	37.9%	41.3%
Bottled or tank gas (propane)	3.5% (±1.3 points)	12.4%	9.2%	4.9%
Wood	0.0% (±0.2 points)	1.0%	0.6%	1.4%
Solar energy	0.1% (±0.2 points)	0.1%	0.2%	0.3%
Coal or coke	0.2% (±0.3 points)	0.5%	0.1%	0.1%
Other fuel	0.0% (±0.2 points)	0.8%	0.6%	0.5%
No fuel used	0.6% (±0.3 points)	1.0%	0.6%	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 Dover, the share of homes heating with fuel oil is lower than in Kent County (10.0%).

It is also lower than in Delaware (8.8%).

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

In Dover, the share of homes heating with electricity is not measurably different from Kent County (33.6%).

It is not measurably different from Delaware (37.9%).

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

Homes heated by electricity in places near Dover

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Dover
Place	Distance	Homes heated by electricity	Compared with this place
Dover	—	36.3% (±3.8 points)	—
Kent Acres	2.0 mi	28.0% (±10.6 points)	Not measurably different
Rodney Village	2.4 mi	2.8% (±4.8 points)	Lower
Highland Acres	3.1 mi	22.2% (±8.0 points)	Lower
Dover Base Housing	3.7 mi	25.1% (±7.9 points)	Lower
Little Creek	4.0 mi	40.0% (±21.8 points)	Not measurably different
Wyoming	4.1 mi	44.6% (±11.6 points)	Not measurably different
Rising Sun-Lebanon	4.3 mi	43.8% (±13.0 points)	Not measurably different
Camden	4.6 mi	25.6% (±9.0 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Rodney Village, DE (2.8%), Highland Acres, DE (22.2%), Dover Base Housing, DE (25.1%).

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

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

Rank	Place	Homes heated by fuel oil
13	Bowers	10.3% (±6.8 points)
14	Houston	10.2% (±6.9 points)
15	Woodside East	10.0% (±7.7 points)
16	Harrington	9.4% (±12.3 points)
17	Farmington	8.4% (±12.1 points)
18	Kenton	7.4% (±10.8 points)
19	Dover	6.7% (±1.9 points)
20	Rising Sun-Lebanon	6.1% (±4.9 points)
21	Smyrna	3.5% (±2.2 points)
22	Cheswold	1.3% (±1.2 points)
23	Clayton	0.1% (±0.9 points)
24 (tie)	Camden	0.0% (±2.1 points)
24 (tie)	Dover Base Housing	0.0% (±3.3 points)

Showing 13 of 26 places in Kent 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 Dover

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

Utility gas is the most common heating fuel in Dover, used by 52.6% of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many homes in Dover heat with oil?

6.7% (±1.9 points) of occupied homes in Dover use fuel oil or kerosene as their main heating fuel.

How many homes in Dover have electric heat?

36.3% (±3.8 points) of occupied homes in Dover heat mainly with electricity, which includes heat pumps.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Dover city, Delaware

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 Dover city, Delaware (place:21200, in state:10).

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.