How are homes heated in Chicago, IL?

Name: Heating fuel in Chicago, IL, 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 Chicago, used by 77.5% (±0.4 points) of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

18.0% heat with electricity.

0.1% heat with fuel oil or kerosene.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Utility gas: 77.5% (±0.4 points)
Electricity: 18.0%
Fuel oil, kerosene: 0.1%

Heating fuel in Chicago

Occupied housing units by house heating fuel, 2020–2024
Fuel used most	Chicago	Cook County	Illinois	United States
Utility gas	77.5% (±0.4 points)	80.2%	75.3%	46.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.	0.1% (±0.1 points)	0.1%	0.1%	3.9%
Electricity	18.0% (±0.3 points)	16.1%	18.6%	41.3%
Bottled or tank gas (propane)	1.7% (±0.1 points)	1.5%	4.2%	4.9%
Wood	0.0% (±0.1 points)	0.0%	0.3%	1.4%
Solar energy	0.1% (±0.1 points)	0.1%	0.1%	0.3%
Coal or coke	0.0% (±0.1 points)	0.0%	0.0%	0.1%
Other fuel	0.9% (±0.1 points)	0.7%	0.5%	0.5%
No fuel used	1.6% (±0.1 points)	1.2%	0.8%	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 Chicago, the share of homes heating with fuel oil is not measurably different from Cook County (0.1%).

It is not measurably different from Illinois (0.1%).

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

In Chicago, the share of homes heating with electricity is higher than in Cook County (16.1%).

It is also lower than in Illinois (18.6%).

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

Homes heated by electricity in places near Chicago

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Chicago
Place	Distance	Homes heated by electricity	Compared with this place
Chicago	—	18.0% (±0.3 points)	—
Cicero	3.9 mi	5.2% (±1.2 points)	Lower
Cicero Township	3.9 mi	5.2% (±1.2 points)	Lower
Stickney	4.8 mi	10.6% (±6.2 points)	Lower
Forest View	4.9 mi	2.1% (±2.4 points)	Lower
Berwyn	5.5 mi	6.5% (±1.7 points)	Lower
Berwyn Township	5.5 mi	6.5% (±1.7 points)	Lower
Stickney Township	6.4 mi	7.6% (±1.9 points)	Lower
Oak Park	6.4 mi	16.4% (±1.9 points)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Cicero, IL (5.2%), Cicero Township, IL (5.2%), Stickney, IL (10.6%).

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

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

Rank	Place	Homes heated by fuel oil
10 (tie)	Northlake	0.2% (±0.3 points)
10 (tie)	Oak Park	0.2% (±0.2 points)
10 (tie)	Prospect Heights	0.2% (±0.4 points)
10 (tie)	Oak Park Township	0.2% (±0.2 points)
17 (tie)	Arlington Heights	0.1% (±0.1 points)
17 (tie)	Bridgeview	0.1% (±0.8 points)
17 (tie)	Chicago	0.1% (±0.1 points)
17 (tie)	Des Plaines	0.1% (±0.1 points)
17 (tie)	Elk Grove Village	0.1% (±0.2 points)
17 (tie)	La Grange Park	0.1% (±0.2 points)
17 (tie)	Orland Park	0.1% (±0.1 points)
17 (tie)	Palatine	0.1% (±0.1 points)
17 (tie)	Park Ridge	0.1% (±0.1 points)

Showing 13 of 148 places in Cook 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 Chicago

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

Utility gas is the most common heating fuel in Chicago, used by 77.5% of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many homes in Chicago heat with oil?

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

How many homes in Chicago have electric heat?

18.0% (±0.3 points) of occupied homes in Chicago heat mainly with electricity, which includes heat pumps.

Sources

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

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 Chicago city, Illinois (place:14000, in state:17).

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.