<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from
the Balance Sheet, Income Statements and Statement of Cash Flows of
Chesapeake Utilities Corporation and is qualified in its entirety by
reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               JUN-30-1997
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                     76180847
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                   22917474
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                        16226496
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                      11718305
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               127043122
<COMMON>                                       2174064
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                     19198037
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                           28773677
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                49898912
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                          28647000
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                             9900000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   717368
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                37879842
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                127043122
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                     68371075
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                           2661602
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                    60200406
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                    62862008
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                        5509067
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                              128817
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                 5637884
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                       1578931
<NET-INCOME>                                   4058953
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                  4058953
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                       2042668
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                      2357022
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                        11991369
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                      .91
<EPS-DILUTED>                                      .88