Lexington: heat pumps and Mass Save
3,868 Lexington homes (31%) heat with oil, and the median home was built in 1965. Oil to heat pump is the clearest fit for Mass Save rebates.
- Facts checked: November 3, 2026
How Lexington homes heat today
| Main heating fuel | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 6,025 | 48% |
| Electricity | 1,762 | 14% |
| Fuel oil or kerosene | 3,868 | 31% |
| Propane or bottled gas | 724 | 6% |
| Other or none | 98 | 1% |
12,477 occupied homes: 10,042 owned and 2,435 rented. Median year built: 1965. Of 12,754 housing units, 587 (5%) are in buildings of two to four units, 1,635 (13%) in buildings of five or more, and 10,532 (83%) in single-family homes and other types.
How Lexington compares
Among the 23 towns we cover, Lexington ranks 4th for oil heat (31% against an average of 20%), 21st for natural gas (48% against 57%) and 21st for electric heat (14% against 19%). A few towns with a similar heating mix and housing age:
| Town | Oil | Gas | Electric | Median built |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Danvers | 32% | 49% | 15% | 1963 |
| Wakefield | 33% | 48% | 15% | 1956 |
| Woburn | 29% | 51% | 17% | 1968 |
| Peabody | 24% | 51% | 20% | 1966 |
| Winchester | 24% | 58% | 15% | 1954 |
| Waltham | 19% | 53% | 24% | 1961 |
By the numbers: Lexington is the 16th largest of the 23 towns by occupied homes (12,477). For every home on oil there are 1.6 on natural gas. Its median home year of 1965 is 13 years newer than the 1952 average across these towns. 1,762 homes (14%) are electric, and 724 (6%) use propane or bottled gas.
Heating tune-up in Lexington
3,868 homes in Lexington (31%) burn oil. Those systems collect soot and sludge over a season, so the burner, nozzle and filter are the first things we clean and check.
Counting the three fuels that need a burner, 10,617 of 12,477 homes (85%) burn gas, oil or propane: 6,025 gas, 3,868 oil and 724 propane. 2,435 homes (20%) are rented, and in those the owner of the building, not the person paying the heat bill, usually arranges service. Built around 1965 at the median, the housing stock here predates modern efficiency standards, so the equipment age matters more than the house age.
See what a visit covers for a boiler or a furnace, then ask for a visit in Lexington.
Replacing a boiler or furnace in Lexington
With 31% of homes on oil, a heat pump that replaces an oil boiler is the case Mass Save rebates most clearly. Rates and the January 1, 2027 drop are on the 2027 rebate page.
Get a replacement price in Lexington, or compare heat pump or a new oil boiler.
Where to go next
Estimate your rebate. Heating with oil? Oil to heat pump. See panel upgrades before you pick a system size.