Key takeaways
- The 2024 RECS represents 132.5 million primary residences.
- Nearly 17,000 households responded.
- The first release is preliminary housing-characteristics data.
Source record
2 cited sources
Last verified
2026-08-09
In this article
Quick Overview
EIA says the 2024 Residential Energy Consumption Survey represents an estimated 132.5 million homes occupied as primary residences. The survey collected responses from nearly 17,000 households in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
What the statistic measures
The initial 2024 release covers preliminary housing characteristics, appliances, electronics, lighting, demographics, square footage, and household energy insecurity. It is a survey estimate, not a utility feed or a property inspection.
Rental operations application
Use the utility billing exception review to compare actual account records with the appropriate property baseline. The utility billing anomaly research can help structure a review, but it cannot replace local weather, occupancy, and equipment data.
Common Mistakes
Do not treat a survey's national representation as a promise that a small portfolio will match the average. Do not mix preliminary 2024 housing-characteristics tables with later consumption tables without recording the release status.
Common Questions Answered
Does RECS provide a property-level benchmark?
No. It provides survey estimates for groups of homes and households.
Is all 2024 RECS data final?
No. EIA identifies the initial housing-characteristics release as preliminary.
Source and limits
The EIA 2024 RECS data page is the source for the sample and release description. Confirm table status before using a figure in a decision record.
Ready to apply the research?
Date the source table, preserve its release status, and compare it with the property's own records.