How are homes heated in Gary, IN?

Name: Heating fuel in Gary, IN, 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 Gary, used by 86.0% (±1.4 points) of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

11.7% heat with electricity.

0.3% heat with fuel oil or kerosene.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Utility gas: 86.0% (±1.4 points)
Electricity: 11.7%
Fuel oil, kerosene: 0.3%

Heating fuel in Gary

Occupied housing units by house heating fuel, 2020–2024
Fuel used most	Gary	Lake County	Indiana	United States
Utility gas	86.0% (±1.4 points)	86.3%	58.6%	46.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.	0.3% (±0.2 points)	0.2%	0.5%	3.9%
Electricity	11.7% (±1.4 points)	10.5%	31.2%	41.3%
Bottled or tank gas (propane)	1.2% (±0.5 points)	2.0%	7.2%	4.9%
Wood	0.0% (±0.1 points)	0.2%	1.5%	1.4%
Solar energy	0.0% (±0.1 points)	0.0%	0.1%	0.3%
Coal or coke	0.0% (±0.1 points)	0.0%	0.1%	0.1%
Other fuel	0.2% (±0.2 points)	0.2%	0.4%	0.5%
No fuel used	0.6% (±0.3 points)	0.5%	0.5%	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 Gary, the share of homes heating with fuel oil is not measurably different from Lake County (0.2%).

It is not measurably different from Indiana (0.5%).

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

In Gary, the share of homes heating with electricity is not measurably different from Lake County (10.5%).

It is also lower than in Indiana (31.2%).

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

Homes heated by electricity in places near Gary

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Gary
Place	Distance	Homes heated by electricity	Compared with this place
Gary	—	11.7% (±1.4 points)	—
Calumet Township	1.0 mi	11.6% (±1.4 points)	Not measurably different
Ross	4.1 mi	14.3% (±4.4 points)	Not measurably different
New Chicago	4.5 mi	17.1% (±6.9 points)	Not measurably different
Lake Station	5.0 mi	8.0% (±3.0 points)	Lower
Hobart Township	5.3 mi	13.4% (±2.6 points)	Not measurably different
Griffith	5.9 mi	9.9% (±3.9 points)	Not measurably different
Hobart	6.5 mi	15.2% (±3.3 points)	Not measurably different
Highland	6.5 mi	13.5% (±2.3 points)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Lake Station, IN (8.0%).

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

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

Rank	Place	Homes heated by fuel oil
1	Lake Dalecarlia	4.5% (±7.8 points)
2	Cedar Creek Township (Lake County)	0.9% (±1.1 points)
3	Hammond	0.8% (±1.0 points)
4	West Creek Township	0.5% (±0.7 points)
5	North Township (Lake County)	0.4% (±0.5 points)
6	Gary	0.3% (±0.2 points)
7 (tie)	Merrillville	0.2% (±0.4 points)
7 (tie)	Calumet Township	0.2% (±0.1 points)
7 (tie)	Ross Township (Lake County)	0.2% (±0.3 points)
10 (tie)	Munster	0.1% (±0.1 points)
10 (tie)	St. John Township	0.1% (±0.1 points)
12 (tie)	Cedar Lake	0.0% (±0.7 points)

Showing 12 of 31 places in Lake 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 Gary

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

Utility gas is the most common heating fuel in Gary, used by 86.0% of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many homes in Gary heat with oil?

0.3% (±0.2 points) of occupied homes in Gary use fuel oil or kerosene as their main heating fuel.

How many homes in Gary have electric heat?

11.7% (±1.4 points) of occupied homes in Gary heat mainly with electricity, which includes heat pumps.

Sources

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

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 Gary city, Indiana (place:27000, in state:18).

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.