How are homes heated in Bethlehem, PA?

Name: Heating fuel in Bethlehem, PA, 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 Bethlehem, used by 45.3% (±2.5 points) of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

37.2% heat with electricity.

14.4% heat with fuel oil or kerosene.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Utility gas: 45.3% (±2.5 points)
Electricity: 37.2%
Fuel oil, kerosene: 14.4%

Heating fuel in Bethlehem

Occupied housing units by house heating fuel, 2020–2024
Fuel used most	Bethlehem	Northampton County	Pennsylvania	United States
Utility gas	45.3% (±2.5 points)	39.5%	51.3%	46.5%
Fuel oil, kerosene, etc.	14.4% (±1.6 points)	21.5%	14.0%	3.9%
Electricity	37.2% (±2.2 points)	31.3%	25.3%	41.3%
Bottled or tank gas (propane)	1.8% (±0.7 points)	4.3%	5.1%	4.9%
Wood	0.0% (±0.1 points)	1.4%	2.1%	1.4%
Solar energy	0.0% (±0.1 points)	0.1%	0.1%	0.3%
Coal or coke	0.2% (±0.3 points)	0.6%	0.8%	0.1%
Other fuel	0.5% (±0.3 points)	0.8%	0.8%	0.5%
No fuel used	0.5% (±0.2 points)	0.4%	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 Bethlehem, the share of homes heating with fuel oil is lower than in Northampton County (21.5%).

It is not measurably different from Pennsylvania (14.0%).

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

In Bethlehem, the share of homes heating with electricity is higher than in Northampton County (31.3%).

It is also higher than in Pennsylvania (25.3%).

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

Homes heated by electricity in places near Bethlehem

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Bethlehem
Place	Distance	Homes heated by electricity	Compared with this place
Bethlehem	—	37.2% (±2.2 points)	—
Freemansburg	1.5 mi	25.6% (±9.0 points)	Lower
Fountain Hill	2.2 mi	38.2% (±8.4 points)	Not measurably different
Middletown (community)	2.6 mi	44.7% (±7.4 points)	Not measurably different
Hanover Township (Northampton County)	3.2 mi	40.2% (±5.5 points)	Not measurably different
Hellertown	3.5 mi	20.8% (±6.1 points)	Lower
Salisbury Township (Lehigh County)	3.8 mi	45.7% (±5.3 points)	Higher
Bethlehem Township	3.9 mi	37.1% (±3.5 points)	Not measurably different
Lower Saucon Township	4.1 mi	24.9% (±4.5 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Freemansburg, PA (25.6%), Hellertown, PA (20.8%), Lower Saucon Township, PA (24.9%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Salisbury Township (Lehigh County), PA (45.7%).

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

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

Rank	Place	Homes heated by fuel oil
25	Bath	21.8% (±6.5 points)
26	Upper Nazareth Township	19.9% (±6.5 points)
27	West Easton	18.8% (±16.0 points)
28	North Catasauqua	17.1% (±7.4 points)
29	Hellertown	14.9% (±3.9 points)
30	Hanover Township (Northampton County)	14.6% (±2.6 points)
31	Bethlehem	14.4% (±1.6 points)
32	Palmer Township	14.3% (±3.2 points)
33	Allen Township	12.9% (±6.1 points)
34	Freemansburg	12.1% (±6.4 points)
35	Bethlehem Township	10.2% (±2.5 points)
36	Easton	8.6% (±2.1 points)
37	Forks Township (Northampton County)	7.6% (±2.5 points)

Showing 13 of 38 places in Northampton 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 Bethlehem

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

Utility gas is the most common heating fuel in Bethlehem, used by 45.3% of occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many homes in Bethlehem heat with oil?

14.4% (±1.6 points) of occupied homes in Bethlehem use fuel oil or kerosene as their main heating fuel.

How many homes in Bethlehem have electric heat?

37.2% (±2.2 points) of occupied homes in Bethlehem heat mainly with electricity, which includes heat pumps.

Sources

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

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 Bethlehem city, Pennsylvania (place:06088, in state:42).

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.