Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: New York Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Residences have a host of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in New York, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of households. The next most popular primary heating fuel for New York homeowners is Electricity, used by 1,365,710 homes (18%). The remaining homes are heated with Heating Oil (14%), Propane (5%), Other (1%), and Wood (1%).
New York 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 New York
Fuel oil has become less frequently used in New York. In the 13 years since 2012, the number of households using oil declined from 1,901,118 to 1,103,323, a 42% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in New York
Between 2012 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel grew from 237,738 to 377,922, a 59% change. Comparing 2012 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 4,044,389 to 4,725,574, a 17% change.
Electricity use for home heating in New York
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are increasing in demand in New York. Since 2012, the number of homes heating with electricity ramped up from 775,390 to 1,365,710, a 76% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in New York
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. Currently, 16,434 homes in New York are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 658% gain from 2012, when 2,168 homes used active solar heating.
New York County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, New York County homeowners purchased a total of 61 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
New York’s overall oil consumption changes annually primarily depending on how cold each winter is. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ HVAC systems need to burn more and more fuel oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in New York was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
New York County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 28.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 33.5° F |
New York County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For New York residences heating with fuel oil, picking which of the 123 heating oil companies that serve New York can drastically impact the cost of home heating.
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 59 “full-service” oil companies that serve New York. Full service companies such as Plitnick Home Fuel & Service Co LLC or Nrg Heat & Power LLC offer clients annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic oil delivery and heating system repair. With an automatic number two heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s heating 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 customers who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the number two heating oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when you're running low. Some of the 2 New York cash heating oil companies serving New York include Ronco Oil Inc Inc and Nyc Oil & Energy Corp.
New York Fuel Oil Company Fast Facts: Fuel oil Companies Serving New York: 123 companies .
Average Number of New York Households Served per Fuel Oil company : 8970
New York Heating Oil Delivery Overview
1,103,323 families in New York heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when New York temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of New York families depend on fuel oil delivery each winter.
7% of New York County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| New York County Households | New York County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 15.6M | 1.1M |
123 New York Oil Companies Go The Distance
With 664,748,714 gallons of number two heating oil delivered to New York houses during this past winter, the New York community looks to its 123 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 New York, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Bridgeport, CT and N.h.term in New Haven, CT. Then, the truck delivers the number two heating oil to residences and companies throughout New York and the surrounding region.
