Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Middlesex Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Residences have a choice of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most popular choice in Middlesex, used by 537,918 or 37% of homeowners. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Middlesex residents is Heating Oil, used by 491,612 homes (34%). The rest of the homes are heated with Electricity (21%), Propane (6%), Wood (1%), and Other (1%).
Middlesex County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (No. of Households)
| Year | Natural Gas | Propane | Electricity | Oil | Wood | Solar | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 548,133 | 93,823 | 310,796 | 480,258 | 19,252 | 7,150 | 11,004 |
| 2025 | 537,918 | 88,504 | 302,730 | 491,612 | 19,550 | 6,488 | 10,689 |
| 2024 | 526,146 | 82,630 | 293,463 | 509,593 | 21,103 | 5,852 | 10,146 |
| 2023 | 530,315 | 92,469 | 276,839 | 496,091 | 19,885 | 4,238 | 15,392 |
| 2022 | 519,969 | 86,596 | 262,494 | 520,424 | 18,487 | 2,985 | 13,466 |
| 2021 | 506,772 | 80,721 | 258,306 | 532,053 | 22,992 | 2,966 | 14,306 |
| 2020 | 503,622 | 73,848 | 247,960 | 533,736 | 22,648 | 1,909 | 11,330 |
| 2019 | 500,471 | 66,974 | 237,614 | 535,420 | 22,304 | 852 | 8,355 |
| 2018 | 497,422 | 60,526 | 232,420 | 549,036 | 22,954 | 1,579 | 8,782 |
| 2017 | 478,136 | 55,608 | 219,208 | 562,247 | 24,510 | 1,029 | 10,257 |
| 2016 | 476,852 | 55,631 | 230,532 | 554,283 | 23,580 | 900 | 9,232 |
| 2015 | 471,195 | 51,915 | 214,414 | 561,996 | 29,530 | 937 | 8,159 |
| 2014 | 464,748 | 49,540 | 212,031 | 576,948 | 34,478 | 554 | 11,670 |
| 2013 | 449,787 | 46,397 | 209,463 | 585,757 | 29,361 | 401 | 10,236 |
| 2012 | 442,443 | 43,849 | 212,708 | 615,734 | 27,351 | 378 | 9,891 |
| 2011 | 437,840 | 43,778 | 207,267 | 625,164 | 25,707 | 611 | 7,588 |
| 2010 | 427,850 | 39,533 | 203,568 | 650,621 | 26,373 | 299 | 7,110 |
Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Middlesex
Fuel oil has become less popular in Middlesex. In the 4 years since 2021, the number of families using fuel oil decreased from 532,053 to 491,612, a 8% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Middlesex
Between 2021 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 80,721 to 88,504, a 10% change. Comparing 2021 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 506,772 to 537,918, a 6% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Middlesex
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are increasing in demand in Middlesex. Since 2021, the number of homes heating with electricity increased from 258,306 to 302,730, a 17% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Middlesex
Solar is the most environmentally friendly of all heating fuels. With an “active” solar heating system, liquid is circulated between solar panels on a home’s roof and a heat energy storage tank (similar to a hot water heater) in the basement. As it stands today, 6,488 homes in Middlesex are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 119% gain from 2021, when 2,966 homes utilized active solar heating.
Middlesex County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Middlesex County homeowners purchased a total of 27 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Middlesex’s overall oil use changes yearly primarily depending on how cold each winter is. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ heating systems need to burn additional fuel oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Middlesex was 30.6°F, which was 4.6°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Middlesex County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 30.6° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 35.2° F |
Middlesex County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Middlesex homes heating with heating oil, selecting which of the 200 heating oil companies that serve Middlesex is an important decision.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who are willing to pay a premium for a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 961 “full-service” oil companies that serve Middlesex. Full service companies such as Aaa Oil Company or Spring Brook Ice & Fuel offer families annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and heating system repair. With an automatic heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s number two heating oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The family does not need to monitor the level of the oil tank or place individual orders.
Discount Oil Companies: also referred to as “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for clients who are on a budget. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order either when the level runs low or just before a major snowstorm. A few of the 2 Middlesex cash heating oil companies serving Middlesex include Angel Fuel LLC Inc and Martin Heating Oil LLC.
Middlesex Fuel Oil Company By The Numbers: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Middlesex: 200 companies .
Average Number of Middlesex Households Served per Heating Oil company : 2458
Middlesex Heating Oil Delivery Overview
491,612 households in Middlesex heat their homes with heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Middlesex temperatures drop as low as 25.1° F each winter. 33.7% of Middlesex families rely on number two heating oil delivery each winter.
16.8% of Middlesex County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Middlesex County Households | Middlesex County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 2.9M | 491,612 |
1542 Middlesex Oil Companies You Can Trust
With 397,280,973 gallons of oil delivered to Middlesex houses last winter, the Middlesex community looks to its 1542 oil companies to keep warm throughout the winter. Oil delivery can be summed up in two steps: First, an oil truck picks up oil at the nearest bulk fuel terminal (also known as a “rack”). In the case of Middlesex, two of the closest terminals are Buckeye in Wethersfield, CT and Sprague W in Springfield, MA. Then, the truck delivers the number two heating oil to homes and businesses throughout Middlesex and the surrounding vicinity.