Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Waldo Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Households have a variety of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Heating Oil is the preferred choice in Waldo, used by 298,426 or 48% of residents. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Waldo residents is Propane, used by 101,382 homes (16%). The rest of the homes are heated with Electricity (15%), Wood (10%), Natural Gas (9%), and Other (2%).
Waldo County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (No. of Households)
| Year | Natural Gas | Propane | Electricity | Oil | Wood | Solar | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 56,154 | 108,059 | 99,960 | 293,815 | 65,168 | 3,873 | 9,806 |
| 2025 | 53,178 | 101,382 | 92,432 | 298,426 | 65,496 | 3,526 | 9,422 |
| 2024 | 51,248 | 98,171 | 83,361 | 309,159 | 59,610 | 3,144 | 8,226 |
| 2023 | 51,811 | 84,744 | 79,160 | 323,666 | 57,999 | 2,137 | 12,767 |
| 2022 | 48,991 | 84,304 | 63,901 | 339,456 | 51,998 | 1,704 | 11,224 |
| 2021 | 47,952 | 78,322 | 61,019 | 345,133 | 46,227 | 1,374 | 10,375 |
| 2020 | 46,351 | 73,782 | 54,514 | 345,001 | 50,077 | 1,210 | 9,402 |
| 2019 | 44,750 | 69,241 | 48,008 | 344,869 | 53,927 | 1,047 | 8,428 |
| 2018 | 44,328 | 61,194 | 41,759 | 355,904 | 54,843 | 1,169 | 8,683 |
| 2017 | 41,841 | 61,816 | 36,406 | 331,541 | 54,454 | 1,228 | 10,328 |
| 2016 | 41,879 | 52,621 | 33,543 | 333,900 | 55,290 | 312 | 11,584 |
| 2015 | 37,624 | 50,511 | 35,138 | 336,337 | 70,767 | 604 | 11,270 |
| 2014 | 37,608 | 48,027 | 28,040 | 342,185 | 78,214 | 451 | 11,692 |
| 2013 | 31,836 | 45,601 | 28,747 | 351,842 | 76,707 | 486 | 9,827 |
| 2012 | 28,621 | 41,477 | 23,260 | 374,110 | 76,225 | 635 | 6,995 |
| 2011 | 27,427 | 42,224 | 24,723 | 379,409 | 68,055 | 307 | 6,480 |
| 2010 | 23,135 | 36,617 | 27,813 | 384,021 | 65,520 | 446 | 5,177 |
Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Waldo
Heating oil has become losing popularity in Waldo. In the 5 years since 2020, the number of families using number two heating oil dipped from 345,001 to 298,426, a 13% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Waldo
Between 2020 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel grew from 73,782 to 101,382, a 37% change. Comparing 2020 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel rose from 46,351 to 53,178, a 15% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Waldo
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Waldo. Since 2020, the number of homes heating with electricity increased from 54,514 to 92,432, a 70% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Waldo
Out of all fuels, solar is the safest for the environment. With an “active” solar heating system, liquid flows between solar panels on a home’s roof and a heat energy storage tank (similar to a hot water heater) in the basement. Now, 3,526 homes in Waldo are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 191% gain from 2020, when 1,210 homes used active solar heating.
Waldo County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Waldo County homeowners purchased a total of 5 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Waldo’s overall fuel oil consumption varies annually as winter conditions change. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ heating systems need to burn additional number two heating oil to keep the house warm inside. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Waldo was 24.4°F, which was 4.2°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Waldo County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 24.4° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 28.6° F |
Waldo County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Waldo households heating with number two heating oil, picking which of the 0 heating oil companies that serve Waldo can drastically impact the cost of home heating.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who can afford a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Waldo. Full service companies such as or offer clients annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and boiler repair. With an automatic oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s fuel oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The homeowner does not need to monitor the level of the oil tank or place individual orders.
Discount Oil Companies: Often called “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for households who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the fuel oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when you're running low. Examples of 0 Waldo cash heating oil companies serving Waldo include Inc and .
Waldo Fuel Oil Company Fast Facts: Fuel oil Companies Serving Waldo: 0 companies .
Average Number of Waldo Houses Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 298426
Waldo Heating Oil Delivery Overview
298,426 homes in Waldo heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Waldo temperatures drop as low as 17.7° F each winter. 47.8% of Waldo homes are reliant on number two heating oil delivery each winter.
23.9% of Waldo County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Waldo County Households | Waldo County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 1.2M | 298,426 |
0 Waldo Oil Companies You Can Bank On
With 246,945,991 gallons of number two heating oil delivered to Waldo families the last heating season, the Waldo community depends on its 0 oil companies to keep warm throughout the winter. 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 Waldo, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Newington, NH and Sprague in So. Portland, ME. Then, the truck delivers the fuel oil to residences and companies throughout Waldo and the surrounding region.
