How are homes heated in Silver Spring, MD?

Name: Heating fuel in Silver Spring, MD, 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 Silver Spring, used by 54.0% (±2.3 points) of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

41.9% heat with electricity.

0.7% heat with fuel oil or kerosene.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Utility gas: 54.0% (±2.3 points)
Electricity: 41.9%
Fuel oil, kerosene: 0.7%

Heating fuel in Silver Spring

Occupied housing units by house heating fuel, 2020–2024
Fuel used most	Silver Spring	Montgomery County	Maryland	United States
Utility gas	54.0% (±2.3 points)	53.1%	43.1%	46.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.	0.7% (±0.5 points)	2.4%	6.6%	3.9%
Electricity	41.9% (±2.5 points)	41.2%	44.1%	41.3%
Bottled or tank gas (propane)	1.4% (±0.5 points)	1.8%	3.8%	4.9%
Wood	0.2% (±0.1 points)	0.1%	1.0%	1.4%
Solar energy	0.3% (±0.2 points)	0.4%	0.4%	0.3%
Coal or coke	0.1% (±0.1 points)	0.0%	0.1%	0.1%
Other fuel	0.7% (±0.5 points)	0.3%	0.5%	0.5%
No fuel used	0.7% (±0.4 points)	0.6%	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 Silver Spring, the share of homes heating with fuel oil is lower than in Montgomery County (2.4%).

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

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

In Silver Spring, the share of homes heating with electricity is not measurably different from Montgomery County (41.2%).

It is not measurably different from Maryland (44.1%).

It is not measurably different from the national figure (41.3%).

Homes heated by electricity in places near Silver Spring

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Silver Spring
Place	Distance	Homes heated by electricity	Compared with this place
Silver Spring	—	41.9% (±2.5 points)	—
Four Corners	1.6 mi	19.6% (±4.6 points)	Lower
Forest Glen	1.7 mi	28.7% (±9.2 points)	Lower
Takoma Park	1.8 mi	27.9% (±4.1 points)	Lower
Langley Park	2.3 mi	19.6% (±4.5 points)	Lower
Burnt Mills	2.5 mi	36.6% (±17.1 points)	Not measurably different
South Kensington	2.6 mi	20.1% (±5.2 points)	Lower
Kemp Mill	2.7 mi	24.1% (±5.3 points)	Lower
North Chevy Chase	2.9 mi	31.9% (±12.1 points)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Four Corners, MD (19.6%), Forest Glen, MD (28.7%), Takoma Park, MD (27.9%).

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

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

Rank	Place	Homes heated by fuel oil
40 (tie)	Bethesda	0.8% (±0.3 points)
40 (tie)	Chevy Chase (community)	0.8% (±0.8 points)
40 (tie)	Chevy Chase Section Three	0.8% (±1.2 points)
40 (tie)	Layhill	0.8% (±1.3 points)
44 (tie)	Aspen Hill	0.7% (±0.3 points)
44 (tie)	North Kensington	0.7% (±0.8 points)
44 (tie)	Silver Spring	0.7% (±0.5 points)
44 (tie)	Wheaton	0.7% (±0.9 points)
44 (tie)	White Oak	0.7% (±0.7 points)
49 (tie)	Glenmont	0.6% (±0.7 points)
49 (tie)	North Bethesda	0.6% (±0.3 points)
49 (tie)	Rockville	0.6% (±0.2 points)
52 (tie)	Forest Glen	0.4% (±0.7 points)

Showing 13 of 59 places in Montgomery County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Silver Spring is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for statistics, with no municipal government of its own.

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 Silver Spring

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

Utility gas is the most common heating fuel in Silver Spring, used by 54.0% of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many homes in Silver Spring heat with oil?

0.7% (±0.5 points) of occupied homes in Silver Spring use fuel oil or kerosene as their main heating fuel.

How many homes in Silver Spring have electric heat?

41.9% (±2.5 points) of occupied homes in Silver Spring heat mainly with electricity, which includes heat pumps.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Silver Spring CDP, 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 Silver Spring CDP, Maryland (place:72450, 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.