How are homes heated in Detroit, MI?

Name: Heating fuel in Detroit, 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 Detroit, used by 80.5% (±0.6 points) of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

16.7% heat with electricity.

0.1% heat with fuel oil or kerosene.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Utility gas: 80.5% (±0.6 points)
Electricity: 16.7%
Fuel oil, kerosene: 0.1%

Heating fuel in Detroit

Occupied housing units by house heating fuel, 2020–2024
Fuel used most	Detroit	Wayne County	Michigan	United States
Utility gas	80.5% (±0.6 points)	83.6%	74.9%	46.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.	0.1% (±0.1 points)	0.1%	0.8%	3.9%
Electricity	16.7% (±0.6 points)	13.9%	12.1%	41.3%
Bottled or tank gas (propane)	1.1% (±0.1 points)	1.2%	8.7%	4.9%
Wood	0.2% (±0.1 points)	0.2%	2.2%	1.4%
Solar energy	0.0% (±0.1 points)	0.0%	0.0%	0.3%
Coal or coke	0.0% (±0.1 points)	0.0%	0.0%	0.1%
Other fuel	0.5% (±0.1 points)	0.4%	0.8%	0.5%
No fuel used	1.0% (±0.2 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 Detroit, the share of homes heating with fuel oil is not measurably different from Wayne County (0.1%).

It is also lower than in Michigan (0.8%).

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

In Detroit, the share of homes heating with electricity is higher than in Wayne County (13.9%).

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 Detroit

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Detroit
Place	Distance	Homes heated by electricity	Compared with this place
Detroit	—	16.7% (±0.6 points)	—
Highland Park	1.6 mi	19.9% (±5.9 points)	Not measurably different
Hamtramck	2.5 mi	9.2% (±2.4 points)	Lower
Hazel Park	5.5 mi	10.8% (±3.2 points)	Lower
Ferndale	5.5 mi	10.0% (±2.1 points)	Lower
Royal Oak Charter Township	5.5 mi	19.3% (±8.9 points)	Not measurably different
Pleasant Ridge	6.5 mi	6.0% (±3.5 points)	Lower
Oak Park	7.0 mi	14.2% (±2.6 points)	Not measurably different
Dearborn	7.4 mi	26.3% (±1.7 points)	Higher

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Hamtramck, MI (9.2%), Hazel Park, MI (10.8%), Ferndale, MI (10.0%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Dearborn, MI (26.3%).

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

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

Rank	Place	Homes heated by fuel oil
2	Highland Park	0.4% (±0.4 points)
3	Romulus	0.3% (±0.4 points)
4 (tie)	Taylor	0.2% (±0.2 points)
4 (tie)	Woodhaven	0.2% (±0.4 points)
4 (tie)	Plymouth Charter Township	0.2% (±0.2 points)
7 (tie)	Allen Park	0.1% (±0.1 points)
7 (tie)	Detroit	0.1% (±0.1 points)
7 (tie)	Garden City	0.1% (±0.1 points)
7 (tie)	Grosse Pointe Woods	0.1% (±0.1 points)
7 (tie)	Livonia	0.1% (±0.1 points)
7 (tie)	Westland	0.1% (±0.1 points)
7 (tie)	Brownstown Charter Township	0.1% (±0.1 points)
7 (tie)	Canton Charter Township	0.1% (±0.1 points)

Showing 13 of 43 places in Wayne 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 Detroit

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

Utility gas is the most common heating fuel in Detroit, used by 80.5% of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many homes in Detroit heat with oil?

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

How many homes in Detroit have electric heat?

16.7% (±0.6 points) of occupied homes in Detroit heat mainly with electricity, which includes heat pumps.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Detroit 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 Detroit city, Michigan (place:22000, 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.