Can households afford energy in California?
45th of 51. All California households: 1.7% ($2,107 of $123,454). Same income group, U.S.: 8.3%. Under 30% of median: 13.8% on $10,467. Renters 1.8%, owners 1.7%.
California burden by income bracket
At or above 6% in California: under 30%. Together 11% of homes (1,524,720 of 13,315,821).
California burden, % of income
- 13.8Under 30%
- 5.030% to 60%
- 3.560% to 80%
- 2.980% to 100%
- 1.3Over 100%
Getting the average under-30% household in California down to 6% takes $811 off its $1,439 energy cost, or $13,516 more income.
California income, cost and burden
| Bracket | California homes | Share | California income | Electric | All energy | California burden | U.S. burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 30% | 1,524,720 | 11% | $10,467 | $1,044 | $1,439 | 13.8% | 17.0% |
| 30% to 60% | 1,974,725 | 15% | $33,506 | $1,196 | $1,666 | 5.0% | 6.3% |
| 60% to 80% | 1,244,383 | 9% | $54,331 | $1,339 | $1,872 | 3.5% | 4.3% |
| 80% to 100% | 1,155,647 | 9% | $69,989 | $1,421 | $1,991 | 2.9% | 3.4% |
| Over 100% | 7,416,346 | 56% | $190,562 | $1,692 | $2,420 | 1.3% | 1.6% |
| All | 13,315,821 | 100% | $123,454 | $1,488 | $2,107 | 1.7% | 2.2% |
Renters, owners and fuel in California
Renters pay $1,404 on $80,336 (1.8%); owners $2,669 on $157,847 (1.7%); U.S. 2.4% and 2.2%. Most common fuel: utility gas, 62% of homes. Heaviest burden: fuel oil, 3.4%.
| California heating fuel | Homes | Share | California income | All energy | Burden |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 3,770,002 | 28.3% | $101,873 | $1,686 | 1.6% |
| Utility gas | 8,291,203 | 62.3% | $138,059 | $2,330 | 1.7% |
| Bottled gas (propane) | 459,756 | 3.5% | $108,540 | $2,582 | 2.4% |
| Fuel oil | 30,557 | 0.2% | $79,332 | $2,657 | 3.4% |
| Wood, coal, solar and other | 764,303 | 5.7% | $82,205 | $1,458 | 1.8% |
Your burden against California
Help and shutoff rules in California
FY2024 LIHEAP heating help: 69,115 homes, 2 per 100 under 60% of median.
FY2026 funding snapshot $242,108,452, $69 per such home.
Eligibility listed: Heating, Cooling, Crisis, & Weatherization: 60% State Median Income.
Benefits listed: Heating: $94 minimum, $1,500 maximum, Cooling: $283 minimum, $932 maximum Crisis: $1,500 maximum.
Programs named for California: California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE); Liberty Utilities; Medical Baseline Allowance; CARE.
- California LIHEAP office, phone 1-866-675-6623
- Clearinghouse snapshot, California
- California help with your bill
California has a cold-weather clause; wording on the help page.
Read: Cal. Public Utilities Code § 779.1, checked 2026-10-02; some utilities only.
Not legal advice. Ask your California utility.
Highest-burden California counties
57 counties with 1,000+ homes; top: Sierra County at 4.3%, lowest of the 57: San Francisco County at 0.8%.
| California county | Homes | Income | All energy | Burden | Under 60% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra County | 1,135 | $77,015 | $3,292 | 4.3% | 15.8% |
| Lassen County | 8,925 | $74,558 | $3,052 | 4.1% | 11.4% |
| Plumas County | 8,104 | $88,324 | $3,462 | 3.9% | 14.3% |
| Inyo County | 7,849 | $74,776 | $2,833 | 3.8% | 12.4% |
| Modoc County | 3,403 | $66,349 | $2,387 | 3.6% | 9.4% |
| Mariposa County | 7,597 | $78,435 | $2,793 | 3.6% | 11.1% |
| Tehama County | 24,623 | $74,203 | $2,605 | 3.5% | 8.5% |
| Siskiyou County | 18,768 | $67,776 | $2,353 | 3.5% | 9.7% |
Next to California in the ranking
More
Sources
DOE LEAD 2022; LIHEAP Clearinghouse; CSV.
Questions
How much of income do California households spend on energy?
1.7% for all households ($2,107 of $123,454) and 6.7% under 60% of median income. U.S.: 2.2%, 8.3%.
Who is hit hardest in California?
Households under 30% of median income: 13.8%, 1,524,720 homes spending $1,439 on $10,467.
How many California homes get LIHEAP heating help?
69,115 in FY2024, 2 per 100 homes under 60% of median; not a take-up rate.
Is electricity the whole California energy burden?
No: electricity is 1.2% of 1.7%; gas and other fuel are the rest.