Residences have a host of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Union, used by 2,627,206 or 74% of residents. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Union families is Electricity, used by 617,773 homes (17%). The other homes are heated with Heating Oil (5%), Propane (2%), Other (0.4%), and Solar (0.3%).

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

Year	Natural Gas	Propane	Electricity	Oil	Wood	Solar	Other
2026	2,660,049	70,826	639,424	176,394	10,565	13,035	14,439
2025	2,627,206	70,406	617,773	185,324	10,688	11,798	14,006
2024	2,623,428	66,233	592,186	198,050	10,223	10,926	13,381
2023	2,552,593	95,605	606,537	215,314	10,749	9,388	20,755
2022	2,560,329	89,511	568,299	231,690	10,054	7,925	17,145
2021	2,545,038	87,258	555,363	240,765	9,820	7,643	19,506
2020	2,509,666	79,338	501,738	241,254	10,094	6,464	16,414
2019	2,474,295	71,419	448,114	241,742	10,368	5,284	13,323
2018	2,435,183	67,930	437,888	258,889	12,069	4,626	14,313
2017	2,425,008	62,490	415,119	271,265	11,994	4,801	12,938
2016	2,389,530	59,916	423,650	271,179	13,466	3,212	14,924
2015	2,398,744	61,082	385,792	299,222	14,398	1,781	12,721
2014	2,393,423	62,396	384,329	309,236	14,471	1,748	13,957
2013	2,354,824	60,943	388,226	329,733	17,421	1,270	10,710
2012	2,368,222	60,990	377,997	356,378	13,974	1,002	10,889
2011	2,342,608	58,315	360,855	376,568	11,869	332	7,917
2010	2,344,455	63,241	343,112	392,540	11,886	325	8,439

Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Union

Heating oil has become less frequently used in Union. In the 12 years since 2013, the number of households using oil fell from 329,733 to 185,324, a 44% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Union

Between 2013 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 60,943 to 70,406, a 16% change. Comparing 2013 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 2,354,824 to 2,627,206, a 12% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Union

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are increasing in demand in Union. Since 2013, the number of homes heating with electricity increased from 388,226 to 617,773, a 59% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Union

Solar is the most environmentally friendly of all heating fuels. 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, 11,798 homes in Union are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 829% gain from 2013, when 1,270 homes utilized active solar heating.

Union County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Union County homeowners purchased a total of 7 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Union’s overall heating oil usage fluctuates from year to year primarily depending on how cold each winter is. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ furnaces need to burn more and more oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Union was 33.5°F, which was 4.7°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Union County Average Winter Temperature

Heating Season	Average Temperature
2024 - 2025	33.5° F
2023 - 2024	38.2° F

Union County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Union households heating with heating oil, picking which of the 29 heating oil companies that serve Union makes a big difference.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 18 “full-service” oil companies that serve Union. Full service companies such as Advantage Oil or Skylands Energy Service offer clients annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic fuel oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The customer does not need to monitor the level of the oil tank or place individual orders.

Discount Oil Companies: Also known by the names “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for households who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the number two heating oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. A few of the 2 Union cash heating oil companies serving Union include Affordable Oil Inc and Longhorn Oil Company.

Union Number Two Heating Oil Company Statistics: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Union: 29 companies .

Average Number of Union Households Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 6390

Union Heating Oil Delivery Overview

185,324 houses in Union heat their homes with fuel oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Union temperatures drop as low as 28.8° F each winter. 5.2% of Union homes are reliant on fuel oil delivery each winter.

2.6% of Union County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter

Union County Households	Union County Heating Oil Households
7.1M	185,324

492 Union Heating Oil Companies Homeowners Can Count On

With 169,797,916 gallons of number two heating oil delivered to Union homeowners during this past winter, the Union community depends on its 492 oil companies when temperatures dip. 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 Union, two of the closest terminals are Sunoco in Linden, NJ and Sunoco in Linden, NJ. Then, the truck delivers the fuel oil to homes and businesses throughout Union and the surrounding region.

Heating Oil Near You In These Adjacent Counties