Natural Gas Outages in Massachusetts by City

Natural gas in Massachusetts

• Home heating: 51.6% of 2,785,042 occupied homes heat mainly with utility gas (US 46.5%), 19th of 50 states (1 = highest). Electricity heats 18.6%, propane 4.5%, fuel oil 22.4%. Source: US Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 (table B25040)
• Residential gas customers, 2024: 1,604,279 (US 73,719,064). Source: EIA, natural gas residential consumers by state
• Residential price, 2024: $21.90 per thousand cubic feet, against $14.50 nationally; 3rd most expensive of 50 states. Source: EIA, residential natural gas prices by state
• Cities we track: gas heat is most common in Lowell (67.1% of homes) and least common in Worcester (51.2%). Source: US Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 (table B25040)
• Winter weather record: 1,142 NOAA reports of winter storms, ice, heavy snow or extreme cold in Massachusetts from 2015 through 2025, most in 2015 (208); February is the peak month.
• Storm damage to gas lines: NOAA narratives mention natural gas lines, leaks or service in 2 storm episodes in Massachusetts since 2015. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database
• April 8, 2022, Bristol (lightning): “The strike resulted in a fire on the gas line in the basement.” Source: NOAA Storm Events Database
• Housing age: half of Massachusetts homes were built before 1964 (US 1980), so many neighborhoods still sit on older cast iron or bare steel gas mains. Source: US Census Bureau, ACS 2020–2024 (table B25035)

Checked September 2026.