How are homes heated in Cape May, NJ?

Name: Heating fuel in Cape May, NJ, 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 Cape May, used by 55.1% (±10.3 points) of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

41.0% heat with electricity.

2.2% heat with fuel oil or kerosene.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Utility gas: 55.1% (±10.3 points)
Electricity: 41.0%
Fuel oil, kerosene: 2.2%

Heating fuel in Cape May

Occupied housing units by house heating fuel, 2020–2024
Fuel used most	Cape May	Cape May County	New Jersey	United States
Utility gas	55.1% (±10.3 points)	68.0%	73.1%	46.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.	2.2% (±2.4 points)	3.4%	6.4%	3.9%
Electricity	41.0% (±10.9 points)	20.5%	16.2%	41.3%
Bottled or tank gas (propane)	0.0% (±3.1 points)	5.3%	2.4%	4.9%
Wood	0.0% (±3.1 points)	0.5%	0.3%	1.4%
Solar energy	0.0% (±3.1 points)	0.3%	0.2%	0.3%
Coal or coke	0.0% (±3.1 points)	0.0%	0.0%	0.1%
Other fuel	0.7% (±1.4 points)	1.5%	0.5%	0.5%
No fuel used	1.0% (±1.3 points)	0.6%	0.8%	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 Cape May, the share of homes heating with fuel oil is not measurably different from Cape May County (3.4%).

It is also lower than in New Jersey (6.4%).

It is not measurably different from the national figure (3.9%).

In Cape May, the share of homes heating with electricity is higher than in Cape May County (20.5%).

It is also higher than in New Jersey (16.2%).

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

Homes heated by electricity in places near Cape May

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Cape May
Place	Distance	Homes heated by electricity	Compared with this place
Cape May	—	41.0% (±10.9 points)	—
West Cape May Borough	2.2 mi	25.3% (±7.0 points)	Lower
Lower Township	3.0 mi	24.9% (±3.9 points)	Lower
Cape May Point Borough	3.6 mi	4.9% (±6.5 points)	Lower
Erma	3.7 mi	18.9% (±11.2 points)	Lower
Wildwood Crest Borough	3.9 mi	21.2% (±7.7 points)	Lower
North Cape May	3.9 mi	19.7% (±6.7 points)	Lower
Wildwood	5.4 mi	27.4% (±6.9 points)	Lower
Rio Grande	5.5 mi	11.9% (±6.8 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: West Cape May Borough, NJ (25.3%), Lower Township, NJ (24.9%), Cape May Point Borough, NJ (4.9%).

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

Homes heated by fuel oil across Cape May County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes heated by fuel oil
1	Cape May Point Borough	28.0% (±25.6 points)
2	Woodbine Borough	18.5% (±9.5 points)
3	Dennis Township	8.3% (±2.7 points)
4	Upper Township	6.1% (±2.7 points)
5	Middle Township	4.9% (±2.0 points)
6	Lower Township	2.4% (±1.1 points)
7	Cape May	2.2% (±2.4 points)
8	Wildwood	1.9% (±2.1 points)
9	West Cape May Borough	1.8% (±2.0 points)
10	Avalon Borough	0.9% (±1.1 points)
11 (tie)	Stone Harbor Borough	0.6% (±0.9 points)
11 (tie)	Wildwood Crest Borough	0.6% (±0.7 points)
13	Ocean City	0.5% (±0.4 points)

Showing 13 of 16 places in Cape May 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 Cape May

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

Utility gas is the most common heating fuel in Cape May, used by 55.1% of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many homes in Cape May heat with oil?

2.2% (±2.4 points) of occupied homes in Cape May use fuel oil or kerosene as their main heating fuel.

How many homes in Cape May have electric heat?

41.0% (±10.9 points) of occupied homes in Cape May heat mainly with electricity, which includes heat pumps.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Cape May city, Cape May County, New Jersey

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 Cape May city, Cape May County, New Jersey (county subdivision:10270, in state:34 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.