How are homes heated in Wilmington, NC?

Name: Heating fuel in Wilmington, NC, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Electricity is the most common heating fuel in Wilmington, used by 84.4% (±1.2 points) of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

12.9% heat with utility gas.

0.5% heat with fuel oil or kerosene.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Utility gas: 12.9% (±1.2 points)
Electricity: 84.4%
Fuel oil, kerosene: 0.5%

Heating fuel in Wilmington

Occupied housing units by house heating fuel, 2020–2024
Fuel used most	Wilmington	New Hanover County	North Carolina	United States
Utility gas	12.9% (±1.2 points)	8.7%	24.5%	46.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.	0.5% (±0.3 points)	0.3%	2.0%	3.9%
Electricity	84.4% (±1.2 points)	88.1%	65.5%	41.3%
Bottled or tank gas (propane)	1.1% (±0.4 points)	1.6%	6.0%	4.9%
Wood	0.1% (±0.1 points)	0.1%	1.1%	1.4%
Solar energy	0.2% (±0.1 points)	0.3%	0.1%	0.3%
Coal or coke	0.0% (±0.1 points)	0.0%	0.0%	0.1%
Other fuel	0.2% (±0.2 points)	0.2%	0.2%	0.5%
No fuel used	0.5% (±0.2 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 Wilmington, the share of homes heating with fuel oil is not measurably different from New Hanover County (0.3%).

It is also lower than in North Carolina (2.0%).

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

In Wilmington, the share of homes heating with electricity is lower than in New Hanover County (88.1%).

It is also higher than in North Carolina (65.5%).

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

Homes heated by electricity in places near Wilmington

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Wilmington
Place	Distance	Homes heated by electricity	Compared with this place
Wilmington	—	84.4% (±1.2 points)	—
Kings Grant	4.2 mi	96.9% (±1.6 points)	Higher
Silver Lake	4.8 mi	88.8% (±10.7 points)	Not measurably different
Wrightsville Beach	5.0 mi	92.5% (±4.1 points)	Higher
Myrtle Grove	5.7 mi	89.6% (±3.4 points)	Higher
Wrightsboro	6.0 mi	85.4% (±4.8 points)	Not measurably different
Murraysville	6.2 mi	94.0% (±2.3 points)	Higher
Belville	6.5 mi	91.7% (±6.3 points)	Higher
Ogden	6.7 mi	96.3% (±2.5 points)	Higher

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Kings Grant, NC (96.9%), Wrightsville Beach, NC (92.5%), Myrtle Grove, NC (89.6%).

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

Homes heated by fuel oil across New Hanover County, place by place

Rank	Place	Homes heated by fuel oil
1	Skippers Corner	0.8% (±1.3 points)
2	Carolina Beach	0.7% (±1.1 points)
3	Wilmington	0.5% (±0.3 points)
4	Wrightsville Beach	0.4% (±0.6 points)
5 (tie)	Bayshore	0.0% (±3.2 points)
5 (tie)	Kings Grant	0.0% (±1.0 points)
5 (tie)	Kure Beach	0.0% (±3.9 points)
5 (tie)	Murraysville	0.0% (±0.6 points)
5 (tie)	Myrtle Grove	0.0% (±0.9 points)

Showing 9 of 15 places in New Hanover 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 Wilmington

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

Electricity is the most common heating fuel in Wilmington, used by 84.4% of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many homes in Wilmington heat with oil?

0.5% (±0.3 points) of occupied homes in Wilmington use fuel oil or kerosene as their main heating fuel.

How many homes in Wilmington have electric heat?

84.4% (±1.2 points) of occupied homes in Wilmington heat mainly with electricity, which includes heat pumps.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Wilmington city, North Carolina

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 Wilmington city, North Carolina (place:74440, in state:37).

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.