Cambridge: heat pumps and Mass Save
13,765 Cambridge homes (28%) list electricity as the main heating fuel, which is where a heat pump replacing baseboard earns a Mass Save rebate.
- Facts checked: November 3, 2026
How Cambridge homes heat today
| Main heating fuel | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 31,452 | 64% |
| Electricity | 13,765 | 28% |
| Fuel oil or kerosene | 1,786 | 4% |
| Propane or bottled gas | 1,110 | 2% |
| Other or none | 1,331 | 3% |
49,444 occupied homes: 16,547 owned and 32,897 rented. Median year built: 1950. Of 54,840 housing units, 15,937 (29%) are in buildings of two to four units, 29,910 (55%) in buildings of five or more, and 8,993 (16%) in single-family homes and other types.
How Cambridge compares
Among the 23 towns we cover, Cambridge ranks 23rd for oil heat (4% against an average of 20%), 5th for natural gas (64% against 57%) and 2nd for electric heat (28% against 19%). A few towns with a similar heating mix and housing age:
| Town | Oil | Gas | Electric | Median built |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | 7% | 56% | 32% | 1947 |
| Malden | 10% | 61% | 23% | 1950 |
| Revere | 12% | 58% | 25% | 1965 |
| Medford | 15% | 62% | 19% | 1942 |
| Lynn | 17% | 57% | 22% | 1946 |
| Arlington | 18% | 59% | 18% | 1945 |
Put another way: Cambridge is the 2nd largest of the 23 towns by occupied homes (49,444). For every home on oil there are 17.6 on natural gas. Its median home year of 1950 is 2 years older than the 1952 average across these towns. 13,765 homes (28%) are electric, and 1,110 (2%) use propane or bottled gas.
Heating tune-up in Cambridge
Expect a gas system if you live in Cambridge: 64% do. The visit centres on the flame, the exchanger, the vent and the shutoff controls. 13,765 homes (28%) heat with electricity. Electric baseboard has almost nothing to service, while a heat pump has an outdoor unit, filters and a drain to check.
In total, 34,348 of 49,444 homes (69%) burn gas, oil or propane: 31,452 gas, 1,786 oil and 1,110 propane. 32,897 homes (67%) are rented, and in those the owner of the building, not the person paying the heat bill, usually arranges service. The median Cambridge home was built in 1950. Give us the age of the equipment as well as the house.
See what a visit covers for a boiler or a furnace, then ask for a visit in Cambridge.
If your boiler or furnace dies in Cambridge
Most Cambridge homes burn gas. Mass Save pays when a heat pump replaces natural gas only where a Mass Save gas sponsor serves you, so check which utility sends your gas bill. Rates and the January 1, 2027 drop are on the 2027 rebate page.
Get a replacement price in Cambridge, or compare heat pump or a new oil boiler.
Where to go next
The calculator turns a quote into a net price. Gas bill? Then this guide applies. In a two- or three-family? Heat pump for a triple-decker. See panel upgrades before you pick a system size.