Population shift to warmer states boosts electric heating Image By EPN Staff Key Points Electricity now heats 42% of U.S. homes, up from 35% in 2010, while natural gas fell from 49% to 47%, driven by population migration to warmer southern and western states. Despite less direct use in homes, natural gas remains the top fuel for electricity generation, keeping power prices low and emissions about 50% below coal. Republican-led states are protecting access to natural gas, while Democratic states and cities are imposing restrictions or bans—highlighting a growing national energy policy divide. Electricity is slowly closing the gap with natural gas as the main heating source for U.S. homes, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). Recent Census data shows 47% of U.S. households use natural gas for household heating, compared to 42%using electricity. Those numbers reflect a slight dip for natural gas, which held 49% of U.S. households in 2010, and a steady climb for electricity from 35% in 2010. The use of heating oil and wood also declined over the period. Why it matters The EIA cites multiple factors for the change, including a U.S. population shift west and south into states with warmer weather, which has lowered overall demand for home heating. Homes in these warmer areas “were more likely to use electricity as their main heating fuel,” the EIA said, and an accompanying chart shows the impact on natural gas use versus electricity is significant. Hotter, redder states have been gaining population from colder, bluer states not simply for the weather, but also for the lower taxes, cheaper cost of living and lighter regulatory touch. The bigger picture Even as the direct use of natural gas for household heating has dipped, natural gas is indirectly fueling the increased use of electricity. Natural gas is the most common way electricity is generated in the United States, with its share of the nation’s annual electricity generation tripling over the past 20 years. Advances in technology have unlocked massive domestic reserves, all of which have helped keep prices low – natural gas is the cheapest U.S. residential energy source – while maintaining reliable service and producing about half the CO2 emissions of coal. The EIA report further notes that homes using natural gas for space heating are more likely to use it for water heating, cooking and clothes drying, and that homes with electric space heating “are more likely to also use electricity for those other end uses.” Improvements in heat pump technology were another reason the EIA pointed to for natural gas’ slow decline in home heating. These pumps have become more energy efficient, and recent advances have made them more viable in colder climates. Additional details These technological advances – along with policies that empower consumers and the market to determine preferred energy sources – provide the flexibility needed to keep costs down while preserving reliability. At least 26 states, mostly Republican-led, have moved to protect consumer choice by passing laws that forbid local governments from banning natural gas appliances or connections. Meanwhile, dozens of left-leaning local governments have passed ordinances limiting gas use, and New York passed a statewide ban on gas hookups in most new buildings. SUGGESTED STORIES As population surges, Florida’s electric sector emissions drop The electric industry’s shift to natural gas over the last two decades has pushed Florida’s carbon dioxide emissions from power plants down 23% – even as the Sunshine State’s population has surged by more than a third. Why it matters The state’s population growth – with an in Read more States take the lead on expediting electric transmission With federal permitting reform stalled in Congress, several U.S. states have launched their own initiatives to accelerate high-voltage transmission development. These actions, spurred by grid congestion concerns, align with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Transmission Plann Read more Electric vehicle sales hit rough road Hybrid vehicle sales increased in the United States over the first quarter of 2025 while fully electric vehicle sales fell slightly, according to an Energy Information Administration breakdown of sales estimates by Wards Intelligence. And while generous subsidies for electric vehicl Read more
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