Compare Your Energy Use for Average U.S. Homes - nearly 3 tons Greenhouse Gases

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Compare Your Energy Use Contrasting By State Averages

Compare Your Energy Use Contrasting By State Averages

Compare your energy use in the graph and table below. The graph shows natural gas use, when used, in residential homes. Results are shown in annual metric tons of greenhouse gases per average household. Actual natural gas use data in million BTU (one measurement of natural gas use) is provided in the table below.

Notice that the U.S. residential average is 2.99 metric tons of greenhouse gases for a home of 1,818 square feet.

Compare your energy use: The comparison here is average residential homes' natural gas use, per state. Data is shown in tons of greenhouse gases. It does not include natural gas use in the production of electricity. The average annual total for a residential home in the U.S. is 2.99 tons of greenhouse gases. — Compare your natural gas use, with results provided in tons greenhouse gases per home.
Source of MMBtu/home: EIA (2023)

The following table provides results for the ten most populous states (and a couple additional western states to fill in map holes). Data provided is the average home size in square feet and the direct natural gas usage for home use, not including electricity generation.

State	Space in square feet	Million Btu (MMBtu)
South Dakota	2056	64.5
Michigan	2030	86.6
Ohio	2013	73.1
Colorado	1999	67.7
Pennsylvania	1991	70
Georgia	1974	48.3
Illinois	1924	79.5
North Carolina	1901	44.4
US Average	1818	56.3
Texas	1734	35.3
Florida	1623	15.5
New York	1614	54.6
California	1504	34.1

Compare your energy use: home size and MMBtu.
Source: MMBtu: EIA 2023; home size: EIA 2023b

Calculate How Your Home Compares

To calculate how you compare, see webpage Calculate Your Footprint. The provided spreadsheet enables you to enter your heating oil, propane or natural gas usage in a number of measurement units. For average home electricity usage and their greenhouse gas effects, see Compare your electrical usage.

Reduce Your Energy Usage

To reduce your energy usage, see Ways to Save Energy and Ways to Save Electricity.

References

Energy Information Administration (EIA) (2023) Annual household site fuel consumption in U.S. homes by state—totals and averages, 2020 Data release date: March 2023. U.S. Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Demand and Integrated Statistics, Accumulated from Forms EIA-457A, D, E, F, & G of the 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey.

Energy Information Administration (EIA) (2023b) Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) Dashboard. From: Source: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience, taken November 20, 2025.