<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE BALANCE SHEET INCOME STATEMENT AND STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS FOR CHESAPEAKE UTILITIES CORPORATION AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1998 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1998 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 79,792,209 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 26,567,443 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 20,977,538 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 11,716,399 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 139,053,589 <COMMON> 2,470,819 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 23,903,562 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 27,908,713 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 54,878,856 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 37,870,000 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 5,200,000 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 520,000 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 0 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 0 <LEASES-CURRENT> 0 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 40,584,733 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 139,053,589 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 139,995,969 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 1,731,775 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 27,731,584 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 29,463,359 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 5,272,272 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> 223,468 <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 5,495,740 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 2,471,129 <NET-INCOME> 3,024,611 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 0 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 3,024,611 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 3,492,935 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 2,226,800 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 10,045,773 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.60 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.60