Winter Heating Costs and Older and Low-Income Households - March 2011

Energy Cost Analysis Methodology

The Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) is a national statistical survey that collects energy-related data for occupied primary housing units; the most recent survey was conducted in 2005. RECS provides information on the use of energy in residential housing units in the United States, including demographic characteristics of the household, energy consumption and expenditures for natural gas, electricity, fuel oil, and other fuel types, as well as other information that relates to energy use.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) is the statistical agency of the U.S. Department of Energy and produces energy data, analysis and forecasting. EIA issues weekly, monthly and annual reports on energy production and prices, demand, imports, and others, and prepares analyses and special reports on topics of current interest. The Short Term Energy Outlook (STEO) is a monthly publication of the EIOA and contains current and projected prices of fuel, including natural gas, fuel oil, electricity, and petroleum.

This data digest uses variables from both the RECS survey and the most recent Short Term Energy Outlook (STEO) to analyze past heating-related energy consumption and expenditures among consumers age 65 and older, and to project heating-related energy consumption and expenditures for the most recent winter season.