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Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS)

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Table HC1.5 Fuels used and end uses in U.S. homes by household income, 20151

Release date: February 2017
Revised date: May 2018

Number of housing units (million)
Household income
  Total U.S.2 Less than $20,000 $20,000 to $39,999 $40,000 to $59,999 $60,000 to $79,999 $80,000 to $99,000 $100,000 to $119,999 $120,000 to  $139,999 $140,000 or more
All homes 118.2 22.9 27.3 18.4 15.2 9.7 8.1 5.4 11.2
Fuels used for any use (more than one may apply)                  
Electricity 118.2 22.9 27.3 18.4 15.2 9.7 8.1 5.4 11.2
Natural gas 68.6 12.1 15.4 10.0 8.4 6.0 5.1 3.5 8.1
Propane3 11.6 2.1 2.3 1.6 1.7 0.7 1.0 0.7 1.4
Wood 12.5 1.4 2.3 1.9 1.9 1.2 1.1 0.9 1.7
Fuel oil/kerosene 6.9 1.4 1.2 1.1 1.1 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.8
Electricity end uses (more than one may apply)                  
Space heating 57.7 12.3 13.8 9.7 7.2 4.5 4.1 2.2 3.9
Main 40.9 10.2 10.1 6.7 5.0 2.9 2.5 1.2 2.3
Secondary 23.0 3.7 5.3 4.1 2.9 2.0 2.0 1.1 1.9
Air conditioning 102.8 18.4 23.0 16.5 13.5 8.7 7.3 4.9 10.4
Water heating 55.1 11.8 13.8 9.1 7.3 4.1 3.4 2.2 3.4
Cooking4 75.0 13.4 17.5 12.2 10.5 6.3 4.9 3.4 6.8
Natural gas end uses (more than one may apply)                  
Space heating 59.5 9.3 13.2 8.8 7.5 5.5 4.8 3.2 7.1
Main 57.7 9.0 12.8 8.6 7.3 5.4 4.6 3.2 6.9
Secondary 7.5 0.6 1.2 1.0 0.9 0.6 0.8 0.7 1.7
Water heating 56.3 9.9 12.5 8.3 6.8 5.0 4.2 2.8 6.8
Cooking4 39.0 6.9 8.2 5.6 4.2 3.2 3.2 2.0 5.5
Outdoor grilling 4.1 0.3 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.3 0.5 0.3 1.2
Propane end uses (more than one may apply)                  
Space heating 7.5 1.0 1.5 1.1 1.2 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.9
Main 5.0 0.8 1.1 0.7 0.8 0.4 0.3 0.4 0.6
Secondary 2.9 0.3 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.2 0.4 Q 0.4
Water heating 4.3 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.7 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.6
Cooking4 6.2 1.4 1.2 0.8 0.7 0.3 0.5 0.4 0.9
Outdoor grilling3 42.2 3.5 7.0 7.0 6.6 4.7 4.4 3.1 5.8
Wood end uses (more than one may apply)                  
Space heating 12.5 1.4 2.3 1.9 1.9 1.2 1.1 0.9 1.7
Main 3.5 0.5 0.9 0.6 0.5 0.2 0.3 Q 0.4
Secondary 9.2 0.9 1.5 1.4 1.4 1.0 0.9 0.8 1.3
Water heating Q Q Q N Q Q Q N Q
Fuel oil/kerosene end uses (more than one may apply)                  
Space heating 6.6 1.4 1.2 1.1 1.1 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.6
Main 5.8 1.3 1.0 0.9 0.9 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.6
Secondary 0.9 Q 0.3 Q Q Q Q Q Q
Water heating 2.9 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.3 0.2 Q 0.5

1Housing characteristics data were collected between August 2015 and April 2016.
2Total U.S. includes all primary occupied housing units in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Vacant housing units, seasonal units, second homes, military houses, and group quarters are excluded.
3Households that use propane only for outdoor grilling are excluded from the RECS estimate of households using propane.
4Cooking includes fuels used by major cooking equipment (ovens, cooktops, and stoves).

Q = Data withheld because either the Relative Standard Error (RSE) was greater than 50% or fewer than 10 cases responded.
N = No cases responded.

Notes:  Because of rounding, data may not sum to totals.  See RECS Terminology for definition of terms used in these tables.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Consumption and Efficiency Statistics, Forms EIA-457A and EIA-457C of the 2015 Residential Energy Consumption Survey