Total.............................................................. 111.1 26.7 28.8 20.6 13.1 22.0 16.6 38.6

Number of Water Heaters

1................................................................. 106.3 25.8 28.0 19.6 12.7 20.2 16.0 37.3

2 or More.................................................... 3.7 0.3 0.5 0.9 0.4 1.7 Q 0.5

Do Not Use Hot Water................................ 1.1 0.6 0.3 Q N Q 0.5 0.8

Housing Units Served by Main Water Heater

One Housing Unit....................................... 99.7 21.8 25.5 19.0 12.5 21.0 13.3 32.3

Two or More Housing Units........................ 10.3 4.3 3.0 1.5 0.6 1.0 2.8 5.4

Do Not Use Hot Water................................ 1.1 0.6 0.3 Q N Q 0.5 0.8

Main Water Heating Fuel

Electric....................................................... 43.1 11.6 12.3 7.8 4.9 6.4 6.9 16.0

For One Housing Unit............................. 40.3 10.8 11.5 7.3 4.7 6.0 6.4 15.0

For Two or More Housing Units.............. 2.7 0.8 0.8 0.5 0.3 0.4 0.4 1.0

Natural Gas................................................ 58.7 12.6 14.2 11.3 7.0 13.6 8.0 18.9

For One Housing Unit............................. 52.5 9.8 12.4 10.6 6.7 13.1 6.1 15.4

For Two or More Housing Units.............. 6.2 2.8 1.8 0.7 0.3 0.5 1.9 3.5

Fuel Oil....................................................... 4.0 1.1 0.8 0.6 0.6 0.9 0.7 1.6

For One Housing Unit............................. 3.0 0.5 0.6 0.4 0.6 0.9 0.2 0.9

For Two or More Housing Units.............. 1.1 0.6 Q Q Q Q 0.5 0.7

Propane/LPG............................................. 4.0 0.8 1.0 0.7 0.5 0.9 0.6 1.2

Other.......................................................... 0.2 N Q Q Q QN N

Do Not Use Hot Water................................ 1.1 0.6 0.3 Q N Q 0.5 0.8

Age of Main Water Heater

Used by One Housing Unit

Less than 2 Years................................... 14.7 3.0 3.7 2.7 1.9 3.3 1.8 4.5

2 to 4 Years............................................ 18.6 3.7 4.5 4.0 2.0 4.5 2.3 5.4

5 to 9 Years............................................ 25.5 4.5 6.3 5.3 3.5 6.0 2.8 7.1

10 to 19 Years........................................ 20.1 4.0 5.0 4.0 2.7 4.3 2.1 5.8

20 Years or More.................................... 6.8 2.0 2.0 1.3 0.7 0.8 1.1 2.8

Don't Know............................................. 12.0 4.1 3.5 1.6 1.2 1.6 2.8 6.0

No Separate Water Heater..................... 1.9 0.5 0.5 Q 0.3 Q 0.4 0.8

Used by Two or More Housing Units

Less than 2 Years................................... 0.3 Q Q Q Q QQ Q

2 to 4 Years............................................ 0.5 Q Q Q Q NQ Q

5 to 9 Years............................................ 0.5 Q Q Q Q QQ Q

10 to 19 Years........................................ 0.6 Q Q Q Q Q Q 0.3

20 Years or More.................................... 0.6 0.4 0.2 N N Q 0.4 0.4

Don't Know............................................. 4.4 2.0 1.4 0.5 Q 0.4 1.3 2.7

No Separate Water Heater..................... 3.4 1.4 1.0 0.4 Q 0.4 0.8 1.6

Table HC7.8 Water Heating Characteristics by Household Income, 2005

Below 

Poverty 

Line

Eligible for 

Federal 

Assistance1

 Million U.S. Housing Units

$80,000 or 

More

2005 Household Income

Housing 

Units 

(millions)

Less than 

$20,000

$20,000 to 

$39,999

$40,000 to 

Water Heating Characteristics $59,999

$60,000 to 

$79,999

Energy Information Administration

2005 Residential Energy Consumption Survey: Preliminary Housing Characterisics Tables
Table HC7.8 Water Heating Characteristics by Household Income, 2005

Below 

Poverty 

Line

Eligible for 

Federal 

Assistance1

 Million U.S. Housing Units

$80,000 or 

More

2005 Household Income

Housing 

Units 

(millions)

Less than 

$20,000

$20,000 to 

$39,999

$40,000 to 

Water Heating Characteristics $59,999

$60,000 to 

$79,999

Size of Main Water Heater

Used by One Housing Unit

Small (30 gallons or less)....................... 17.1 6.5 5.2 2.7 1.5 1.3 3.8 8.1

Medium (31 to 49 gallons)...................... 52.4 11.0 13.4 11.0 6.6 10.3 6.7 16.7

Large (50 gallons or more)...................... 27.1 3.5 6.1 4.9 3.8 8.8 2.3 6.4

Tankless water heater............................ 1.1 0.2 0.3 Q 0.3 Q Q 0.4

No Separate Water Heater..................... 1.9 0.5 0.5 Q 0.3 Q 0.4 0.8

Used by Two or More Housing Units

Small (30 gallons or less)....................... 1.4 0.8 0.4 Q Q Q 0.6 1.1

Medium (31 to 49 gallons)...................... 2.4 1.0 0.9 0.3 Q Q 0.7 1.4

Large (50 gallons or more)...................... 2.8 1.0 0.8 0.5 0.3 0.3 0.8 1.3

Tankless water heater............................ 0.2 Q Q Q N Q Q Q

No Separate Water Heater..................... 3.4 1.4 1.0 0.4 Q 0.4 0.8 1.6

Other Water Heating

Hot Tubs or Spas...................................... 6.7 Q 0.8 1.3 1.1 3.4 Q 0.5

Electricity................................................ 5.3 Q 0.7 1.1 0.9 2.5 Q 0.4

Natural Gas............................................ 1.2 Q Q Q Q 0.8 Q Q

Swimming Pools...................................... 1.9 N Q Q 0.3 1.4 N Q

Natural Gas............................................ 1.2 N Q Q Q 1.0 N Q

Electricity................................................ 0.4 N N Q Q Q N N

Propane/LPG.......................................... 0.3 N N Q Q Q N Q

Some Other Fuel.................................... Q N N N Q N N N

Electric Water Beds.................................. 2.2 0.5 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.2 0.6

1............................................................. 1.9 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.5 Q 0.6

2 or More................................................ 0.3 Q N Q Q Q Q Q

Heaters Used all Year........................ 1.7 0.4 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.4 Q 0.5

1...................................................... 1.5 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.4 Q 0.5

2 or More......................................... 0.3 Q N Q Q Q Q Q

 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 Characterisics Tables