Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Sullivan Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Households have a host of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Heating Oil is the most popular choice in Sullivan, used by 212,831 or 37% of households. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Sullivan homeowners is Natural Gas, used by 124,974 homes (22%). The rest of the homes are heated with Propane (21%), Electricity (12%), Wood (6%), and Other (2%).
Sullivan County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (No. of Households)
| Year | Natural Gas | Propane | Electricity | Oil | Wood | Solar | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 126,732 | 125,939 | 73,211 | 209,287 | 31,664 | 2,712 | 12,560 |
| 2025 | 124,974 | 121,512 | 70,926 | 212,831 | 32,268 | 2,474 | 11,835 |
| 2024 | 126,691 | 116,162 | 68,090 | 211,416 | 29,746 | 2,147 | 11,751 |
| 2023 | 118,533 | 112,909 | 64,436 | 221,554 | 35,424 | 1,544 | 10,170 |
| 2022 | 121,267 | 103,967 | 61,455 | 223,612 | 30,964 | 909 | 10,992 |
| 2021 | 121,966 | 102,208 | 58,765 | 218,724 | 30,381 | 890 | 10,002 |
| 2020 | 118,607 | 98,116 | 56,313 | 223,224 | 32,446 | 761 | 9,755 |
| 2019 | 115,248 | 94,024 | 53,861 | 227,725 | 34,512 | 632 | 9,508 |
| 2018 | 113,986 | 86,695 | 50,260 | 232,152 | 35,632 | 411 | 8,224 |
| 2017 | 111,070 | 90,341 | 47,927 | 227,681 | 37,912 | 575 | 8,850 |
| 2016 | 110,428 | 81,949 | 48,677 | 229,187 | 35,047 | 666 | 9,880 |
| 2015 | 103,292 | 78,670 | 46,002 | 232,674 | 42,472 | 488 | 10,268 |
| 2014 | 100,601 | 76,212 | 46,268 | 230,361 | 49,555 | 275 | 10,068 |
| 2013 | 101,529 | 76,485 | 42,038 | 239,542 | 44,711 | 334 | 9,251 |
| 2012 | 104,858 | 72,091 | 39,257 | 245,324 | 43,948 | 593 | 7,870 |
| 2011 | 100,958 | 74,416 | 40,613 | 252,159 | 37,084 | 280 | 7,019 |
| 2010 | 100,857 | 70,863 | 41,909 | 253,772 | 40,272 | 85 | 4,752 |
Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Sullivan
Number two heating oil has become less frequently used in Sullivan. In the 7 years since 2018, the number of families using number two heating oil decreased from 232,152 to 212,831, a 8% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Sullivan
Between 2018 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel increased from 86,695 to 121,512, a 40% change. Comparing 2018 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel increased from 113,986 to 124,974, a 10% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Sullivan
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Sullivan. Since 2018, the number of homes heating with electricity jumped from 50,260 to 70,926, a 41% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Sullivan
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. As it stands today, 2,474 homes in Sullivan are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 502% gain from 2018, when 411 homes incorporated active solar heating.
Sullivan County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Sullivan County homeowners purchased a total of 5 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Sullivan’s overall fuel oil consumption changes from year to year depending on winter temperatures. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ HVAC systems need to burn more and more number two heating oil to keep the house warm inside. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Sullivan was 24.1°F, which was 5.3°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Sullivan County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 24.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 29.4° F |
Sullivan County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Sullivan homes heating with heating oil, choosing which of the 4 heating oil companies that serve Sullivan plays a big role in determining how much money is spent on heating each winter.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who want a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 7 “full-service” oil companies that serve Sullivan. Full service companies such as Goodrich Oil & Propane Co or Goodrich Oil & Propane Co offer homeowners annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating oil delivery and furnace 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: 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 either when the level runs low or just before a major snowstorm. Some of the 2 Sullivan cash heating oil companies serving Sullivan include RE Hinkley Co Inc Inc and Welch Fuel Company.
Sullivan Heating Oil Company Statistics: Oil Companies Serving Sullivan: 4 companies .
Average Number of Sullivan Houses Served per Heating Oil company : 53208
Sullivan Heating Oil Delivery Overview
212,831 residences in Sullivan heat their homes with fuel oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Sullivan temperatures drop as low as 16.9° F each winter. 36.9% of Sullivan homes are reliant on oil delivery each winter.
18.4% of Sullivan County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Sullivan County Households | Sullivan County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 1.1M | 212,831 |
25 Sullivan Oil Companies You Can Bank On
With 199,461,865 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Sullivan houses last winter, the Sullivan community relies on its 25 oil companies to keep warm throughout the winter. Oil delivery has two parts to it: First, an oil truck picks up oil at the nearest bulk fuel terminal (also known as a “rack”). In the case of Sullivan, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Newington, NH and Gulf in Chelsea, MA. Then, the truck delivers the number two heating oil to residences and companies throughout Sullivan and the surrounding region.
