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Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Franklin Home Heating Fuel Comparison

Homes have a variety of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Franklin, used by 1,473,396 or 52% of residents. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Franklin residents is Electricity, used by 610,876 homes (22%). The other homes are heated with Heating Oil (20%), Propane (5%), Wood (1%), and Other (1%).

Franklin County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (No. of Households)

YearNatural GasPropaneElectricityOilWoodSolarOther
20261,483,713134,558634,170544,41628,37510,54824,323
20251,473,396128,896610,876555,64029,0109,58023,565
20241,472,791124,926578,927572,37629,9339,00421,569
20231,413,104137,540556,235615,56428,8056,95825,447
20221,443,888131,253509,852627,33230,1946,36126,280
20211,411,895129,599492,336649,03630,6515,80721,455
20201,398,855113,994470,610647,57031,3784,67821,500
20191,385,81598,388448,883646,10332,1053,54921,544
20181,374,46092,227434,646657,58328,6213,07820,618
20171,353,68288,756418,715674,93734,4213,52519,989
20161,332,61081,858405,055688,92535,0512,42119,478
20151,306,07379,528403,279690,54838,9271,69320,120
20141,310,71377,135371,616703,76041,99982521,307
20131,265,87881,306371,400740,91747,0091,43217,553
20121,249,25368,517365,060772,64143,39348714,495
20111,242,64365,582354,007806,42240,35689313,919
20101,234,50270,046341,806810,26638,81388014,235

Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Franklin

Number two heating oil has become less popular in Franklin. In the 1 years since 2024, the number of families using oil declined from 572,376 to 555,640, a 3% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Franklin

Between 2024 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel increased from 124,926 to 128,896, a 3% change. Comparing 2024 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel held steady at 1,473,396, a 0% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Franklin

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Franklin. Since 2024, the number of homes heating with electricity ramped up from 578,927 to 610,876, a 6% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Franklin

The most eco-friendly heating option is solar. 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. Today, 9,580 homes in Franklin are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 6% gain from 2024, when 9,004 homes utilized active solar heating.

Franklin County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Franklin County homeowners purchased a total of 10 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Franklin’s overall fuel oil consumption changes from year to year as winter conditions change. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ furnaces need to burn more and more oil to keep the house warm inside. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Franklin was 30.0°F, which was 4.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Franklin County Average Winter Temperature

Heating SeasonAverage Temperature
2024 - 202530° F
2023 - 202434.5° F

Franklin County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Franklin residences heating with oil, choosing which of the 0 heating oil companies that serve Franklin is an important decision.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who want a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Franklin. Full service companies such as or offer customers annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic heating 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 client 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 budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. Examples of 0 Franklin cash heating oil companies serving Franklin include Inc and .

Franklin Heating Oil Company Fast Facts: Oil Companies Serving Franklin: 0 companies .

Average Number of Franklin Households Served per Fuel Oil company : 555640

Franklin Heating Oil Delivery Overview

555,640 families in Franklin heat their homes with fuel oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Franklin temperatures drop as low as 24.3° F each winter. 19.6% of Franklin families are reliant on heating oil delivery each winter.

9.8% of Franklin County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter

Franklin County HouseholdsFranklin County Heating Oil Households
5.6M555,640

0 Franklin Heating Oil Companies You Can Trust

With 582,115,838 gallons of number two heating oil delivered to Franklin residences during this past winter, the Franklin community looks to its 0 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. Oil delivery is a two step process: First, an oil truck picks up oil at the nearest bulk fuel terminal (also known as a “rack”). In the case of Franklin, two of the closest terminals are Sprague W in Springfield, MA and Buckeye in Springfield, MA. Then, the truck delivers the number two heating oil to homes and businesses throughout Franklin and the surrounding region.