How are homes heated in Big Rapids, MI?

Name: Heating fuel in Big Rapids, MI, 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 Big Rapids, used by 72.5% (±4.5 points) of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

20.9% heat with electricity.

0.0% heat with fuel oil or kerosene.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Utility gas: 72.5% (±4.5 points)
Electricity: 20.9%
Fuel oil, kerosene: 0.0%

Heating fuel in Big Rapids

Occupied housing units by house heating fuel, 2020–2024
Fuel used most	Big Rapids	Mecosta County	Michigan	United States
Utility gas	72.5% (±4.5 points)	48.6%	74.9%	46.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.	0.0% (±1.0 points)	2.2%	0.8%	3.9%
Electricity	20.9% (±4.3 points)	9.6%	12.1%	41.3%
Bottled or tank gas (propane)	3.7% (±1.7 points)	30.2%	8.7%	4.9%
Wood	0.0% (±1.0 points)	6.9%	2.2%	1.4%
Solar energy	0.0% (±1.0 points)	0.0%	0.0%	0.3%
Coal or coke	0.0% (±1.0 points)	0.1%	0.0%	0.1%
Other fuel	2.5% (±1.7 points)	1.6%	0.8%	0.5%
No fuel used	0.4% (±0.6 points)	0.7%	0.5%	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 Big Rapids, the share of homes heating with fuel oil is lower than in Mecosta County (2.2%).

It is not measurably different from Michigan (0.8%).

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

In Big Rapids, the share of homes heating with electricity is higher than in Mecosta County (9.6%).

It is also higher than in Michigan (12.1%).

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

Homes heated by electricity in places near Big Rapids

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Big Rapids
Place	Distance	Homes heated by electricity	Compared with this place
Big Rapids	—	20.9% (±4.3 points)	—
Big Rapids Charter Township	1.7 mi	13.1% (±5.1 points)	Lower
Green Charter Township	5.1 mi	7.0% (±4.1 points)	Lower
Colfax Township (Mecosta County)	5.4 mi	5.1% (±2.9 points)	Lower
Mecosta Township	6.8 mi	3.9% (±2.4 points)	Lower
Grant Township (Mecosta County)	7.2 mi	5.0% (±3.7 points)	Lower
Norwich Township (Newaygo County)	7.7 mi	3.1% (±2.1 points)	Lower
Stanwood	8.4 mi	0.0% (±33.6 points)	Not measurably different
Austin Township (Mecosta County)	8.8 mi	2.0% (±1.6 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Big Rapids Charter Township, MI (13.1%), Green Charter Township, MI (7.0%), Colfax Township (Mecosta County), MI (5.1%).

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

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

Rank	Place	Homes heated by fuel oil
10	Chippewa Township (Mecosta County)	1.2% (±1.3 points)
11	Morton Township	0.8% (±0.9 points)
12	Big Rapids Charter Township	0.6% (±1.0 points)
13 (tie)	Deerfield Township (Mecosta County)	0.5% (±0.6 points)
13 (tie)	Mecosta Township	0.5% (±0.8 points)
15	Austin Township (Mecosta County)	0.2% (±0.4 points)
16 (tie)	Big Rapids	0.0% (±1.0 points)
16 (tie)	Aetna Township (Mecosta County)	0.0% (±3.6 points)

Showing 8 of 17 places in Mecosta 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 Big Rapids

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

Utility gas is the most common heating fuel in Big Rapids, used by 72.5% of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many homes in Big Rapids heat with oil?

0.0% (±1.0 points) of occupied homes in Big Rapids use fuel oil or kerosene as their main heating fuel.

How many homes in Big Rapids have electric heat?

20.9% (±4.3 points) of occupied homes in Big Rapids heat mainly with electricity, which includes heat pumps.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Big Rapids city, Michigan

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 Big Rapids city, Michigan (place:08300, in state:26).

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.