The number of U.S. households that burn wood as a primary source of heat has increased sharply since 2005.
The increase in wood as a heating fuel has been particularly notable in New England and the mid-Atlantic, where all states saw at least a 50% increase from 2005 to 2012. In some states the leap was even greater. Rhode Island saw an increase of more than 150% over the period, while Delaware and Alaska both saw increases of 150%, according to data out Monday from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Despite the sizeable increase, the number of U.S. households that burn wood as a primary source of heat is still relatively small: 2.5 million, or 2.1%. Unsurprisingly, wood burning is not evenly distributed across income brackets. Relatively affluent households are more likely to burn wood as a primary or secondary source of heat—think roaring fire, cozy living room—but lower income households that burn wood tend to burn more of the stuff.
[EIA]
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Inside Elon Musk’s War on Washington
- Why Do More Young Adults Have Cancer?
- Colman Domingo Leads With Radical Love
- 11 New Books to Read in February
- How to Get Better at Doing Things Alone
- Cecily Strong on Goober the Clown
- Column: The Rise of America’s Broligarchy
- Introducing the 2025 Closers
Contact us at letters@time.com