How are homes heated in Council Bluffs, IA?

Name: Heating fuel in Council Bluffs, IA, 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 Council Bluffs, used by 78.4% (±1.9 points) of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

19.7% heat with electricity.

0.0% heat with fuel oil or kerosene.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Utility gas: 78.4% (±1.9 points)
Electricity: 19.7%
Fuel oil, kerosene: 0.0%

Heating fuel in Council Bluffs

Occupied housing units by house heating fuel, 2020–2024
Fuel used most	Council Bluffs	Pottawattamie County	Iowa	United States
Utility gas	78.4% (±1.9 points)	70.5%	60.2%	46.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.	0.0% (±0.1 points)	0.1%	0.3%	3.9%
Electricity	19.7% (±1.8 points)	20.2%	24.4%	41.3%
Bottled or tank gas (propane)	1.5% (±0.4 points)	8.5%	12.6%	4.9%
Wood	0.1% (±0.1 points)	0.2%	1.1%	1.4%
Solar energy	0.0% (±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	0.1% (±0.1 points)	0.3%	0.7%	0.5%
No fuel used	0.2% (±0.1 points)	0.3%	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 Council Bluffs, the share of homes heating with fuel oil is not measurably different from Pottawattamie County (0.1%).

It is also lower than in Iowa (0.3%).

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

In Council Bluffs, the share of homes heating with electricity is not measurably different from Pottawattamie County (20.2%).

It is also lower than in Iowa (24.4%).

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

Homes heated by electricity in places near Council Bluffs

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Council Bluffs
Place	Distance	Homes heated by electricity	Compared with this place
Council Bluffs	—	19.7% (±1.8 points)	—
Carter Lake	4.9 mi	19.7% (±8.4 points)	Not measurably different
Bellevue	7.7 mi	24.8% (±2.3 points)	Higher
Offutt AFB	8.7 mi	46.7% (±6.2 points)	Higher
Crescent	8.9 mi	15.9% (±9.1 points)	Not measurably different
Ralston	9.9 mi	32.6% (±7.0 points)	Higher
Omaha	11 mi	25.4% (±0.7 points)	Higher
McClelland	11 mi	12.2% (±11.3 points)	Not measurably different
La Vista	12 mi	23.4% (±3.5 points)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Bellevue, NE (24.8%), Offutt AFB, NE (46.7%), Ralston, NE (32.6%).

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

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

Rank	Place	Homes heated by fuel oil
1	McClelland	2.0% (±5.7 points)
2 (tie)	Avoca	0.0% (±3.5 points)
2 (tie)	Carson	0.0% (±7.0 points)
2 (tie)	Carter Lake	0.0% (±1.8 points)
2 (tie)	Council Bluffs	0.0% (±0.1 points)
2 (tie)	Crescent	0.0% (±10.5 points)
2 (tie)	Hancock	0.0% (±22.5 points)
2 (tie)	Macedonia	0.0% (±20.3 points)
2 (tie)	Minden	0.0% (±10.6 points)
2 (tie)	Neola	0.0% (±5.9 points)
2 (tie)	Oakland	0.0% (±4.4 points)

Showing 11 of 14 places in Pottawattamie 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 Council Bluffs

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

Utility gas is the most common heating fuel in Council Bluffs, used by 78.4% of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many homes in Council Bluffs heat with oil?

0.0% (±0.1 points) of occupied homes in Council Bluffs use fuel oil or kerosene as their main heating fuel.

How many homes in Council Bluffs have electric heat?

19.7% (±1.8 points) of occupied homes in Council Bluffs heat mainly with electricity, which includes heat pumps.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Council Bluffs city, Iowa

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 Council Bluffs city, Iowa (place:16860, in state:19).

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.