How are homes heated in Essex, MA?

Name: Heating fuel in Essex, MA, 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 Essex, used by 39.4% (±7.8 points) of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

18.2% heat with electricity.

30.4% heat with fuel oil or kerosene.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Utility gas: 39.4% (±7.8 points)
Electricity: 18.2%
Fuel oil, kerosene: 30.4%

Heating fuel in Essex

Occupied housing units by house heating fuel, 2020–2024
Fuel used most	Essex	Essex County	Massachusetts	United States
Utility gas	39.4% (±7.8 points)	56.4%	51.6%	46.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.	30.4% (±7.8 points)	20.4%	22.4%	3.9%
Electricity	18.2% (±7.5 points)	17.4%	18.6%	41.3%
Bottled or tank gas (propane)	6.3% (±3.3 points)	3.9%	4.5%	4.9%
Wood	2.8% (±2.9 points)	0.6%	1.1%	1.4%
Solar energy	1.9% (±2.1 points)	0.1%	0.2%	0.3%
Coal or coke	0.0% (±3.1 points)	0.0%	0.0%	0.1%
Other fuel	1.0% (±1.5 points)	0.7%	0.8%	0.5%
No fuel used	0.0% (±3.1 points)	0.6%	0.7%	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 Essex, the share of homes heating with fuel oil is higher than in Essex County (20.4%).

It is also higher than in Massachusetts (22.4%).

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

In Essex, the share of homes heating with electricity is not measurably different from Essex County (17.4%).

It is not measurably different from Massachusetts (18.6%).

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

Homes heated by electricity in places near Essex

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Essex
Place	Distance	Homes heated by electricity	Compared with this place
Essex	—	18.2% (±7.5 points)	—
Ipswich (community)	3.6 mi	16.6% (±6.6 points)	Not measurably different
Gloucester	4.4 mi	20.6% (±2.7 points)	Not measurably different
Hamilton	4.5 mi	6.8% (±3.2 points)	Lower
Ipswich	5.0 mi	15.3% (±3.8 points)	Not measurably different
Manchester-by-the-Sea	5.4 mi	3.8% (±2.1 points)	Lower
Wenham	6.3 mi	12.0% (±4.7 points)	Not measurably different
Beverly	6.9 mi	20.3% (±2.5 points)	Not measurably different
Rowley (community)	7.2 mi	6.0% (±4.6 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Hamilton, MA (6.8%), Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA (3.8%), Rowley (community), MA (6.0%).

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

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

Rank	Place	Homes heated by fuel oil
7	Wenham	39.5% (±8.2 points)
8	Lynnfield	37.4% (±5.1 points)
9	Boxford	35.5% (±7.3 points)
10	Manchester-by-the-Sea	34.1% (±9.0 points)
11	Ipswich	32.4% (±3.8 points)
12	Danvers	31.8% (±3.6 points)
13	Essex	30.4% (±7.8 points)
14	Gloucester	30.0% (±2.4 points)
15	Georgetown	27.4% (±5.0 points)
16	Beverly	25.2% (±2.4 points)
17	Rowley	24.2% (±6.2 points)
18	Peabody	24.0% (±2.2 points)
19	Saugus	22.1% (±2.4 points)

Showing 13 of 34 places in Essex County, ranked from highest to lowest.

The figures for Essex include the places inside it that have pages of their own: Essex (community).

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 Essex

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

Utility gas is the most common heating fuel in Essex, used by 39.4% of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many homes in Essex heat with oil?

30.4% (±7.8 points) of occupied homes in Essex use fuel oil or kerosene as their main heating fuel.

How many homes in Essex have electric heat?

18.2% (±7.5 points) of occupied homes in Essex heat mainly with electricity, which includes heat pumps.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Essex town, Essex County, Massachusetts

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 Essex town, Essex County, Massachusetts (county subdivision:21850, in state:25 county:009).

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.