Watertown: heat pumps and Mass Save
43% of Watertown housing units are in buildings of two to four units and 48% of homes are owner-occupied, so many projects start with a landlord or a two-family owner.
- Facts checked: November 3, 2026
How Watertown homes heat today
| Main heating fuel | Homes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Natural gas | 10,984 | 67% |
| Electricity | 2,403 | 15% |
| Fuel oil or kerosene | 2,068 | 13% |
| Propane or bottled gas | 576 | 4% |
| Other or none | 340 | 2% |
16,371 occupied homes: 7,814 owned and 8,557 rented. Median year built: 1947. Of 17,206 housing units, 7,335 (43%) are in buildings of two to four units, 5,147 (30%) in buildings of five or more, and 4,724 (27%) in single-family homes and other types.
How Watertown compares
Of the 23 towns we cover, Watertown ranks 17th for oil heat (13% against an average of 20%), 3rd for natural gas (67% against 57%) and 19th for electric heat (15% against 19%). Other towns on the list, for reference:
| Town | Oil | Gas | Electric | Median built |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Everett | 12% | 67% | 18% | 1938 |
| Medford | 15% | 62% | 19% | 1942 |
| Malden | 10% | 61% | 23% | 1950 |
| Arlington | 18% | 59% | 18% | 1945 |
| Somerville | 6% | 70% | 19% | 1938 |
| Revere | 12% | 58% | 25% | 1965 |
By the numbers: Watertown is the 15th largest of the 23 towns by occupied homes (16,371). For every home on oil there are 5.3 on natural gas. Its median home year of 1947 is 5 years older than the 1952 average across these towns. 2,403 homes (15%) are electric, and 576 (4%) use propane or bottled gas.
Tune-ups for heating systems in Watertown
Gas is the main fuel in 10,984 Watertown homes, 67% of the town. A gas visit means the burner and ignition, the heat exchanger, the flue and the controls that shut the system down.
Across the three burner fuels, 13,628 of 16,371 homes (83%) burn gas, oil or propane: 10,984 gas, 2,068 oil and 576 propane. 8,557 homes (52%) are rented, which means the landlord, not the tenant, books the visit. Watertown's median build year is 1947. A photo of the nameplate tells us more than the age of the house does.
See what a visit covers for a boiler or a furnace, then ask for a visit in Watertown.
A new heating system in Watertown
Gas is the default in Watertown (67%), and the rebate only follows if a Mass Save gas sponsor serves you. The gas bill tells you who that is. 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.
What next
Estimate your rebate. Gas bill? Then this guide applies. Heating with oil? Oil to heat pump. Own a multi-family? Triple-decker heat pumps. Panel full or fuses? Panel upgrades explains.