How are homes heated in Ocean City, MD?

Name: Heating fuel in Ocean City, MD, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Electricity is the most common heating fuel in Ocean City, used by 81.3% (±4.2 points) of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

14.2% heat with utility gas.

1.2% heat with fuel oil or kerosene.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Utility gas: 14.2% (±3.9 points)
Electricity: 81.3%
Fuel oil, kerosene: 1.2%

Heating fuel in Ocean City

Occupied housing units by house heating fuel, 2020–2024
Fuel used most	Ocean City	Worcester County	Maryland	United States
Utility gas	14.2% (±3.9 points)	15.6%	43.1%	46.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.	1.2% (±1.0 points)	5.1%	6.6%	3.9%
Electricity	81.3% (±4.2 points)	63.7%	44.1%	41.3%
Bottled or tank gas (propane)	1.9% (±1.2 points)	12.1%	3.8%	4.9%
Wood	0.0% (±1.1 points)	2.0%	1.0%	1.4%
Solar energy	0.1% (±0.4 points)	0.6%	0.4%	0.3%
Coal or coke	0.0% (±1.1 points)	0.0%	0.1%	0.1%
Other fuel	0.4% (±0.4 points)	0.5%	0.5%	0.5%
No fuel used	0.9% (±1.0 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 Ocean City, the share of homes heating with fuel oil is lower than in Worcester County (5.1%).

It is also lower than in Maryland (6.6%).

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

In Ocean City, the share of homes heating with electricity is higher than in Worcester County (63.7%).

It is also higher than in Maryland (44.1%).

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

Homes heated by electricity in places near Ocean City

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Ocean City
Place	Distance	Homes heated by electricity	Compared with this place
Ocean City	—	81.3% (±4.2 points)	—
West Ocean City	3.8 mi	59.4% (±6.9 points)	Lower
Ocean Pines	4.2 mi	67.5% (±4.2 points)	Lower
Fenwick Island	4.7 mi	68.3% (±9.2 points)	Lower
South Bethany	8.5 mi	52.1% (±13.4 points)	Lower
Selbyville	8.6 mi	36.4% (±10.6 points)	Lower
Berlin	8.9 mi	74.3% (±7.3 points)	Not measurably different
Ocean View	9.4 mi	45.4% (±8.7 points)	Lower
Bethany Beach	10.0 mi	81.8% (±5.6 points)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: West Ocean City, MD (59.4%), Ocean Pines, MD (67.5%), Fenwick Island, DE (68.3%).

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

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

Rank	Place	Homes heated by fuel oil
1	Pocomoke City	15.5% (±8.6 points)
2	Snow Hill	11.9% (±5.2 points)
3	West Ocean City	4.9% (±3.2 points)
4	Ocean City	1.2% (±1.0 points)
5	Ocean Pines	0.7% (±0.7 points)
6	Berlin	0.5% (±0.7 points)

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 Ocean City

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

Electricity is the most common heating fuel in Ocean City, used by 81.3% of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many homes in Ocean City heat with oil?

1.2% (±1.0 points) of occupied homes in Ocean City use fuel oil or kerosene as their main heating fuel.

How many homes in Ocean City have electric heat?

81.3% (±4.2 points) of occupied homes in Ocean City heat mainly with electricity, which includes heat pumps.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Ocean City town, Maryland

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 Ocean City town, Maryland (place:58225, in state:24).

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.