Residential Energy Consumption
The charts and statistics below provide information about residential energy consumption in , including per capita indicators. Statistics include the following:
- Sources of heating for homes
- Residential consumption of natural gas per capita
- Residential electricity consumption per capita
Energy consumption in homes derives primarily from two sources in the United States: natural gas and electricity. For many homes, natural gas is used for space heating and domestic hot water, and electricity is used for appliances and air conditioning.
The consumption indicators for homes listed on this page combine the effects of many trends, including an overall increase in energy efficiency in homes in recent years and the steady growth in size of U.S. homes over the last several decades.
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) publishes a detailed summary of energy consumption in U.S. homes every four years. The survey, called the EIA Residential Energy Consumption Survey, covers all energy consumption, including appliances, and is organized by region and by climate (heating and cooling degree days).
Sources of Heating for Homes
Natural gas is widely available in most states. However, many rural homes do not have natural gas pipelines nearby, so they heat with other sources such as electricity, propane, heating oil, and increasingly, solar energy.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration
Residential Consumption of Natural Gas Per Capita in
The increase of residential natural gas consumption correlates well with population growth over time. The smaller the slope of this curve (more horizontal), the stronger the correlation.
Source: DOE Energy Information Administration (EIA) State Energy Consumption, Price, and Expenditure Estimates (SEDS database).
Map for comparison
Residential Electricity Consumption Per Capita
The slope of this curve indicates whether residential electricity consumption is growing faster (upward slope) than population (downward slope) in . The smaller the slope (more horizontal), the stronger the correlation between residential electricity consumption and population growth.
Source: EIA SEDS database.