Total........................................................................ 111.1 47.1 19.0 22.7 22.3

Do Not Have Space Heating Equipment............... 1.2 0.7 Q 0.2 Q

Have Main Space Heating Equipment.................. 109.8 46.3 18.9 22.5 22.1

Use Main Space Heating Equipment.................... 109.1 45.6 18.8 22.5 22.1

Have Equipment But Do Not Use It...................... 0.8 0.7 Q N N

Main Heating Fuel and Equipment

Natural Gas.......................................................... 58.2 27.0 11.9 14.9 4.3

Central Warm-Air Furnace................................ 44.7 19.8 8.6 12.8 3.6

For One Housing Unit................................... 42.9 18.8 8.3 12.3 3.5

For Two Housing Units................................. 1.8 1.0 0.3 0.4 Q

Steam or Hot Water System............................. 8.2 4.4 2.1 1.4 0.3

For One Housing Unit................................... 5.1 2.1 1.6 1.0 0.3

For Two Housing Units................................. 3.1 2.2 0.5 Q N

Floor, Wall or Pipeless Furnace....................... 2.3 1.2 0.5 0.4 Q

Room Heater.................................................... 2.0 1.1 0.5 Q Q

Other Equipment.............................................. 0.9 0.4 0.3 Q Q

Electricity............................................................. 33.7 15.9 4.6 5.8 7.4

Built-in Electric Units........................................ 5.0 2.5 0.8 0.9 0.9

Central Warm-Air Furnace................................ 16.0 7.9 2.7 2.3 3.2

For One Housing Unit................................... 15.2 7.5 2.5 2.1 3.1

For Two Housing Units................................. 0.9 0.5 Q Q Q

Heat Pump....................................................... 9.2 3.4 0.8 2.2 2.7

Portable Electric Heater.................................... 1.6 0.8 Q Q 0.5

Other Equipment.............................................. 1.9 1.2 Q Q Q

Fuel Oil................................................................ 7.7 2.4 1.7 1.2 2.4

Steam or Hot Water System............................. 4.7 1.8 0.9 0.8 1.2

For One Housing Unit................................... 3.3 0.8 0.7 0.7 1.0

For Two Housing Units................................. 1.4 1.0 Q Q Q

Central Warm-Air Furnace................................ 2.8 0.6 0.7 0.5 1.0

Other Equipment.............................................. 0.3 Q Q N Q

Wood................................................................... 2.9 0.3 Q Q 2.3

Heating Stove................................................... 2.0 Q Q Q 1.5

Other Equipment.............................................. 0.9 Q Q N 0.7

Propane/LPG....................................................... 6.0 0.3 0.2 0.3 5.2

Central Warm-Air Furnace................................ 4.1 Q Q Q 3.7

Room Heater.................................................... 0.9 Q Q Q 0.7

Other Equipment.............................................. 1.0 Q Q Q 0.8

Kerosene............................................................. 0.7 Q Q Q 0.4

Other Fuel............................................................ 0.6 0.3 Q Q Q

Housing Units Served by

Main Heating Equipment

One Housing Unit................................................. 101.0 40.5 17.6 21.2 21.7

Two or More Housing Units.................................. 8.8 5.8 1.3 1.3 0.4

Do Not Have Heating Equipment......................... 1.2 0.7 Q 0.2 Q

Table HC8.4 Space Heating Characteristics by Urban/Rural Location, 2005

Space Heating Characteristics

 Million U.S. Housing Units

Housing

Units 

(millions)

Urban/Rural Location

(as Self-Reported)

City Town Suburbs Rural

Energy Information Administration

2005 Residential Energy Consumption Survey: Preliminary Housing Characteristics Tables
Table HC8.4 Space Heating Characteristics by Urban/Rural Location, 2005

Space Heating Characteristics

 Million U.S. Housing Units

Housing

Units 

(millions)

Urban/Rural Location

(as Self-Reported)

City Town Suburbs Rural

Age of Main Heating Equipment

Used by One Housing Unit

Less than 2 Years............................................ 11.7 4.6 2.0 2.5 2.6

2 to 4 Years...................................................... 13.8 5.1 2.6 3.0 3.1

5 to 9 Years...................................................... 20.6 7.2 3.5 4.4 5.5

10 to 19 Years.................................................. 24.8 9.1 3.7 6.1 6.0

20 Years or More.............................................. 21.5 9.9 4.0 4.0 3.6

Don't Know....................................................... 8.6 4.6 1.8 1.2 1.0

Used by Two or More Housing Units

Less than 2 Years............................................ 0.3 Q Q Q N

2 to 4 Years...................................................... 0.4 0.2 Q Q Q

5 to 9 Years...................................................... 0.6 0.3 Q Q Q

10 to 19 Years.................................................. 1.1 0.5 Q Q Q

20 Years or More.............................................. 2.7 2.1 0.3 Q Q

Don't Know....................................................... 3.7 2.5 0.6 Q Q

Proportion of Heat Provided by

Main Heating Equipment

All or Almost All.................................................... 98.9 42.6 17.3 20.6 18.5

About Three-Fourths............................................ 5.8 1.7 0.9 1.1 2.2

Closer to One-Half............................................... 4.3 1.4 0.7 0.7 1.5

Do Not Use Main Heating Equipment................... 2.0 1.4 Q 0.2 Q

Secondary Heating Fuel and Equipment

No........................................................................ 76.2 35.4 13.9 15.3 11.6

Yes (More than One May Apply).......................... 34.9 11.7 5.1 7.3 10.8

Natural Gas...................................................... 5.0 1.8 0.7 1.7 0.7

Fireplace....................................................... 2.7 0.9 0.3 1.1 0.4

Room Heater................................................ 0.5 QQQQ

Central Warm-Air Furnace............................ 1.1 0.4 Q 0.3 Q

Other Equipment.......................................... 0.8 0.4 Q Q Q

Electricity.......................................................... 19.7 7.5 3.0 4.0 5.2

Portable Heater............................................. 16.0 6.2 2.6 3.3 3.8

Built-in Electric Units..................................... 2.2 0.8 Q 0.5 0.7

Heat Pump................................................... 0.6 Q Q Q 0.3

Other Equipment.......................................... 1.3 0.4 0.2 Q 0.5

Fuel Oil............................................................. 0.4 N Q Q Q

Wood............................................................... 8.9 2.6 1.2 1.6 3.4

Fireplace....................................................... 6.7 2.3 1.0 1.4 2.0

Heating Stove............................................... 2.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 1.3

Other Equipment.......................................... Q Q Q N Q

Propane/LPG................................................... 2.3 Q Q 0.3 1.8

Kerosene.......................................................... 0.9 Q Q Q 0.5

Other Fuel........................................................ 0.2 QQQQ

 Q = Data withheld either because the Relative Standard Error (RSE) was greater than 50 percent or fewer than 10 households

were sampled.

 N = No cases in reporting sample.

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

 Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Forms EIA-457 A, B, C of the 2005 

Residential Energy Consumption Survey.

Energy Information Administration

2005 Residential Energy Consumption Survey: Preliminary Housing Characteristics Tables