How are homes heated in Helena, MT?

Name: Heating fuel in Helena, MT, 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 Helena, used by 61.6% (±2.8 points) of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

34.0% heat with electricity.

0.0% heat with fuel oil or kerosene.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Utility gas: 61.6% (±2.8 points)
Electricity: 34.0%
Fuel oil, kerosene: 0.0%

Heating fuel in Helena

Occupied housing units by house heating fuel, 2020–2024
Fuel used most	Helena	Lewis and Clark County	Montana	United States
Utility gas	61.6% (±2.8 points)	56.6%	50.5%	46.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.	0.0% (±0.2 points)	0.1%	0.6%	3.9%
Electricity	34.0% (±3.0 points)	26.9%	27.3%	41.3%
Bottled or tank gas (propane)	2.0% (±1.0 points)	10.3%	13.0%	4.9%
Wood	0.6% (±0.4 points)	3.9%	6.6%	1.4%
Solar energy	0.3% (±0.3 points)	0.4%	0.2%	0.3%
Coal or coke	0.0% (±0.2 points)	0.0%	0.1%	0.1%
Other fuel	0.6% (±0.4 points)	1.3%	1.2%	0.5%
No fuel used	1.0% (±0.8 points)	0.6%	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 Helena, the share of homes heating with fuel oil is not measurably different from Lewis and Clark County (0.1%).

It is also lower than in Montana (0.6%).

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

In Helena, the share of homes heating with electricity is higher than in Lewis and Clark County (26.9%).

It is also higher than in Montana (27.3%).

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

Homes heated by electricity in places near Helena

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Helena
Place	Distance	Homes heated by electricity	Compared with this place
Helena	—	34.0% (±3.0 points)	—
Helena West Side	4.5 mi	26.5% (±13.6 points)	Not measurably different
Helena Valley West Central	4.7 mi	27.5% (±6.8 points)	Not measurably different
East Helena	4.9 mi	17.8% (±8.0 points)	Lower
Helena Valley Southeast	6.0 mi	19.7% (±5.7 points)	Lower
Montana City	6.5 mi	14.6% (±6.7 points)	Lower
Helena Valley Northeast	8.6 mi	14.6% (±7.7 points)	Lower
Helena Valley Northwest	9.3 mi	17.8% (±10.8 points)	Lower
Clancy	10 mi	9.2% (±5.3 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: East Helena, MT (17.8%), Helena Valley Southeast, MT (19.7%), Montana City, MT (14.6%).

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

Homes heated by fuel oil across Lewis and Clark County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes heated by fuel oil
1	Helena Valley Northeast	0.8% (±1.4 points)
2 (tie)	East Helena	0.0% (±3.5 points)
2 (tie)	Helena	0.0% (±0.2 points)
2 (tie)	Helena Valley Northwest	0.0% (±1.8 points)
2 (tie)	Helena Valley Southeast	0.0% (±0.8 points)
2 (tie)	Helena Valley West Central	0.0% (±1.0 points)
2 (tie)	Helena West Side	0.0% (±5.2 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 Helena

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

Utility gas is the most common heating fuel in Helena, used by 61.6% of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many homes in Helena heat with oil?

0.0% (±0.2 points) of occupied homes in Helena use fuel oil or kerosene as their main heating fuel.

How many homes in Helena have electric heat?

34.0% (±3.0 points) of occupied homes in Helena heat mainly with electricity, which includes heat pumps.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Helena city, Montana

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 Helena city, Montana (place:35600, in state:30).

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.