Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Franklin Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homes have a choice of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Franklin, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of homeowners. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Franklin residents is Electricity, used by 1,365,710 homes (18%). The other homes are heated with Heating Oil (14%), Propane (5%), Other (1%), and Wood (1%).
Franklin 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 Franklin
Heating oil has become decreasing in demand in Franklin. In the 3 years since 2022, the number of residents using oil fell from 1,279,260 to 1,103,323, a 14% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Franklin
Between 2022 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel declined from 400,969 to 377,922, a 6% change. Comparing 2022 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel grew from 4,542,443 to 4,725,574, a 4% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Franklin
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Franklin. Since 2022, the number of homes heating with electricity shot up from 1,190,880 to 1,365,710, a 15% 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. Now, 16,434 homes in Franklin are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 45% gain from 2022, when 11,314 homes had active solar heating.
Franklin County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Franklin County homeowners purchased a total of 4 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Franklin’s overall number two heating oil use fluctuates annually based on the severity of the winter. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ HVAC systems need to burn additional heating oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Franklin was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Franklin County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 28.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 33.5° F |
Franklin County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Franklin residences heating with fuel oil, choosing which of the 10 heating oil companies that serve Franklin makes a big difference.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who are willing to pay a premium for a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 24 “full-service” oil companies that serve Franklin. Full service companies such as Collins Oil Inc or Harris Oil Inc offer homeowners annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating oil delivery and boiler repair. With an automatic fuel oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s number two heating oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The family 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 homeowners who are looking to save money. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the heating oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. Examples of 2 Franklin cash heating oil companies serving Franklin include Adirondack Energy Products Inc Inc and Fountain Heating LLC.
Franklin Fuel Oil Company Fast Facts: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Franklin: 10 companies .
Average Number of Franklin Households Served per Heating Oil company : 110332
Franklin Heating Oil Delivery Overview
1,103,323 residences in Franklin heat their homes with number two heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Franklin temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Franklin residences rely on number two heating oil delivery each winter.
7% of Franklin County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Franklin County Households | Franklin County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 15.6M | 1.1M |
72 Franklin Oil Companies Homeowners Can Count On
With 664,748,714 gallons of number two heating oil delivered to Franklin residences during this past winter, the Franklin community relies on its 72 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 Franklin, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Bridgeport, CT and N.h.term in New Haven, CT. Then, the truck delivers the fuel oil to residences and companies throughout Franklin and the surrounding region.