Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Cayuga Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homeowners have a variety of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Cayuga, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of families. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Cayuga households is Electricity, used by 1,365,710 homes (18%). The rest of the homes are heated with Heating Oil (14%), Propane (5%), Other (1%), and Wood (1%).
Cayuga County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (No. of Households)
| Year | Natural Gas | Propane | Electricity | Oil | Wood | Solar | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4,768,707 | 390,135 | 1,429,822 | 1,059,449 | 89,064 | 18,053 | 103,422 |
| 2025 | 4,725,574 | 377,922 | 1,365,710 | 1,103,323 | 92,054 | 16,434 | 100,232 |
| 2024 | 4,679,558 | 370,910 | 1,292,868 | 1,143,783 | 96,147 | 15,259 | 97,524 |
| 2023 | 4,581,041 | 402,335 | 1,263,700 | 1,212,850 | 100,015 | 11,208 | 104,369 |
| 2022 | 4,542,443 | 400,969 | 1,190,880 | 1,279,260 | 99,080 | 11,314 | 103,810 |
| 2021 | 4,489,009 | 388,311 | 1,118,015 | 1,293,770 | 108,202 | 8,858 | 98,952 |
| 2020 | 4,504,504 | 353,944 | 1,014,730 | 1,343,665 | 111,106 | 8,778 | 89,024 |
| 2019 | 4,519,999 | 319,576 | 911,445 | 1,393,560 | 114,011 | 8,697 | 79,096 |
| 2018 | 4,397,917 | 308,020 | 890,554 | 1,459,976 | 120,159 | 6,022 | 82,621 |
| 2017 | 4,339,349 | 294,973 | 867,925 | 1,496,843 | 122,088 | 5,988 | 77,386 |
| 2016 | 4,227,422 | 273,838 | 860,856 | 1,540,787 | 126,890 | 6,535 | 79,479 |
| 2015 | 4,202,413 | 265,224 | 808,370 | 1,649,860 | 141,016 | 3,120 | 78,999 |
| 2014 | 4,186,666 | 258,775 | 770,577 | 1,752,656 | 145,012 | 2,573 | 76,963 |
| 2013 | 4,074,510 | 259,367 | 764,400 | 1,802,442 | 148,422 | 2,525 | 81,841 |
| 2012 | 4,044,389 | 237,738 | 775,390 | 1,901,118 | 155,603 | 2,168 | 61,429 |
| 2011 | 4,014,222 | 222,634 | 707,016 | 1,979,067 | 143,287 | 2,728 | 63,609 |
| 2010 | 3,961,085 | 227,607 | 676,262 | 2,068,004 | 143,242 | 1,823 | 61,664 |
Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Cayuga
Fuel oil has become less popular in Cayuga. In the 9 years since 2016, the number of households using number two heating oil fell from 1,540,787 to 1,103,323, a 28% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Cayuga
Between 2016 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 273,838 to 377,922, a 38% change. Comparing 2016 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel increased from 4,227,422 to 4,725,574, a 12% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Cayuga
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Cayuga. Since 2016, the number of homes heating with electricity shot up from 860,856 to 1,365,710, a 59% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Cayuga
Out of all fuels, solar is the safest for the environment. 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, 16,434 homes in Cayuga are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 151% gain from 2016, when 6,535 homes utilized active solar heating.
Cayuga County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Cayuga County homeowners purchased a total of 551,303 gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Cayuga’s overall heating oil use fluctuates annually primarily depending on how cold each winter is. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ HVAC systems need to burn increasing amounts of heating oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Cayuga was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Cayuga County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 28.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 33.5° F |
Cayuga County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Cayuga homeowners heating with heating oil, picking which of the 2 heating oil companies that serve Cayuga is an important decision.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who can afford a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 1 “full-service” oil companies that serve Cayuga. Full service companies such as E And V Energy Corporation 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 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 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. A few of the 2 Cayuga cash heating oil companies serving Cayuga include Vannorstrand Oil Company LLC Inc and Vannorstrand Oil Company LLC.
Cayuga Oil Company Fast Facts: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Cayuga: 2 companies .
Average Number of Cayuga Households Served per Fuel Oil company : 551662
Cayuga Heating Oil Delivery Overview
1,103,323 households in Cayuga heat their homes with heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Cayuga temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Cayuga households rely on oil delivery each winter.
7% of Cayuga County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Cayuga County Households | Cayuga County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 15.6M | 1.1M |
3 Cayuga Number Two Heating Oil Companies Serving The Community
With 664,748,714 gallons of number two heating oil delivered to Cayuga residences during this past winter, the Cayuga community looks to its 3 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. 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 Cayuga, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Bridgeport, CT and N.h.term in New Haven, CT. Then, the truck delivers the #2 heating oil to residences and companies throughout Cayuga and the surrounding region.
