Malden: heat pumps and Mass Save
34% of Malden homes sit in buildings of two to four units and only 41% of homes are owner-occupied, so many projects are landlord decisions on small multi-family buildings.
- Facts checked: November 3, 2026
How Malden homes heat today
| Main heating fuel | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 16,006 | 61% |
| Electricity | 6,068 | 23% |
| Fuel oil or kerosene | 2,553 | 10% |
| Propane or bottled gas | 856 | 3% |
| Other or none | 559 | 2% |
26,042 occupied homes: 10,744 owned and 15,298 rented. Median year built: 1950. Of 27,876 housing units, 9,367 (34%) are in buildings of two to four units, 9,657 (35%) in buildings of five or more, and 8,852 (32%) in single-family homes and other types.
How Malden compares
Out of the 23 towns we cover, Malden ranks 20th for oil heat (10% against an average of 20%), 8th for natural gas (61% against 57%) and 6th for electric heat (23% against 19%). Towns to compare it with:
| Town | Oil | Gas | Electric | Median built |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medford | 15% | 62% | 19% | 1942 |
| Revere | 12% | 58% | 25% | 1965 |
| Cambridge | 4% | 64% | 28% | 1950 |
| Boston | 7% | 56% | 32% | 1947 |
| Lynn | 17% | 57% | 22% | 1946 |
| Arlington | 18% | 59% | 18% | 1945 |
In figures: Malden is the 5th largest of the 23 towns by occupied homes (26,042). For every home on oil there are 6.3 on natural gas. Its median home year of 1950 is 2 years older than the 1952 average across these towns. 6,068 homes (23%) are electric, and 856 (3%) use propane or bottled gas.
Heating tune-up in Malden
Natural gas heats 61% of Malden (16,006 homes), which makes the gas furnace or boiler the usual job: flame, heat exchanger, venting and safety devices.
Counting the three fuels that need a burner, 19,415 of 26,042 homes (75%) burn gas, oil or propane: 16,006 gas, 2,553 oil and 856 propane. 15,298 homes (59%) are rented, so for many of them the landlord decides when a system gets looked at. Malden's median build year is 1950. A photo of the nameplate tells us more than the age of the house does.
Book a tune-up in Malden, or read about a furnace tune-up and a boiler tune-up.
If your boiler or furnace dies in Malden
For a gas furnace or boiler in Malden, a heat pump rebate depends on whether a Mass Save gas sponsor serves your address, so confirm the utility on your gas bill first. Rates and the January 1, 2027 drop are on the 2027 rebate page.
For a number you can use, send two photos of the old unit and the panel, and see what moves a boiler price.
Where to go next
The calculator turns a quote into a net price. Gas bill? Then this guide applies. Landlords: heat pumps for two- and three-families. See panel upgrades before you pick a system size.