How are homes heated in West Des Moines, IA?

Name: Heating fuel in West Des Moines, 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 West Des Moines, used by 60.4% (±2.2 points) of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

37.6% heat with electricity.

0.1% heat with fuel oil or kerosene.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Utility gas: 60.4% (±2.2 points)
Electricity: 37.6%
Fuel oil, kerosene: 0.1%

Heating fuel in West Des Moines

Occupied housing units by house heating fuel, 2020–2024
Fuel used most	West Des Moines	Polk County	Iowa	United States
Utility gas	60.4% (±2.2 points)	65.7%	60.2%	46.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.	0.1% (±0.1 points)	0.1%	0.3%	3.9%
Electricity	37.6% (±2.3 points)	30.7%	24.4%	41.3%
Bottled or tank gas (propane)	1.6% (±0.7 points)	2.3%	12.6%	4.9%
Wood	0.0% (±0.1 points)	0.2%	1.1%	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%	0.0%	0.1%
Other fuel	0.2% (±0.1 points)	0.4%	0.7%	0.5%
No fuel used	0.2% (±0.1 points)	0.5%	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 West Des Moines, the share of homes heating with fuel oil is not measurably different from Polk County (0.1%).

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

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

In West Des Moines, the share of homes heating with electricity is higher than in Polk County (30.7%).

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

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

Homes heated by electricity in places near West Des Moines

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with West Des Moines
Place	Distance	Homes heated by electricity	Compared with this place
West Des Moines	—	37.6% (±2.3 points)	—
Clive	4.5 mi	30.7% (±4.4 points)	Lower
Cumming	4.6 mi	24.9% (±11.4 points)	Lower
Windsor Heights	5.2 mi	18.6% (±5.9 points)	Lower
Waukee	5.9 mi	31.7% (±4.1 points)	Lower
Urbandale	6.0 mi	26.7% (±2.5 points)	Lower
Norwalk	6.4 mi	31.0% (±4.6 points)	Lower
Van Meter	8.6 mi	20.1% (±9.3 points)	Lower
Grimes	8.9 mi	17.0% (±4.0 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Clive, IA (30.7%), Cumming, IA (24.9%), Windsor Heights, IA (18.6%).

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

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

Rank	Place	Homes heated by fuel oil
1	Pleasant Hill	0.3% (±0.5 points)
2	Des Moines	0.2% (±0.1 points)
3	West Des Moines	0.1% (±0.1 points)
4 (tie)	Alleman	0.0% (±13.6 points)
4 (tie)	Altoona	0.0% (±0.3 points)
4 (tie)	Ankeny	0.0% (±0.1 points)
4 (tie)	Bondurant	0.0% (±0.8 points)
4 (tie)	Clive	0.0% (±0.4 points)
4 (tie)	Elkhart	0.0% (±6.9 points)

Showing 9 of 17 places in Polk 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 West Des Moines

What is the most common way to heat a home in West Des Moines?

Utility gas is the most common heating fuel in West Des Moines, used by 60.4% of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many homes in West Des Moines heat with oil?

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

How many homes in West Des Moines have electric heat?

37.6% (±2.3 points) of occupied homes in West Des Moines heat mainly with electricity, which includes heat pumps.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — West Des Moines 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 West Des Moines city, Iowa (place:83910, 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.