Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Schenectady Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Families have a variety of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Schenectady, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of residents. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Schenectady 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%).
Schenectady 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 Schenectady
Number two heating oil has become decreasing in demand in Schenectady. In the 2 years since 2023, the number of homeowners using oil dipped from 1,212,850 to 1,103,323, a 9% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Schenectady
Between 2023 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel dropped from 402,335 to 377,922, a 6% change. Comparing 2023 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 4,581,041 to 4,725,574, a 3% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Schenectady
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more prevalent in Schenectady. Since 2023, the number of homes heating with electricity shot up from 1,263,700 to 1,365,710, a 8% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Schenectady
Solar is the most environmentally friendly of all heating fuels. 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, 16,434 homes in Schenectady are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 47% gain from 2023, when 11,208 homes had active solar heating.
Schenectady County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Schenectady County homeowners purchased a total of 3 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Schenectady’s overall oil usage fluctuates yearly based on the severity of the winter. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ heating systems need to burn increasing amounts of oil to keep the house warm inside. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Schenectady was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Schenectady County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 28.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 33.5° F |
Schenectady County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Schenectady families heating with heating oil, selecting which of the 0 heating oil companies that serve Schenectady can drastically impact the cost of home heating.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who value a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Schenectady. Full service companies such as or offer homeowners annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic fuel oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s 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: Often called “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for customers who are on a budget. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. A few of the 0 Schenectady cash heating oil companies serving Schenectady include Inc and .
Schenectady Oil Company By The Numbers: Fuel oil Companies Serving Schenectady: 0 companies .
Average Number of Schenectady Households Served per Fuel Oil company : 1103323
Schenectady Heating Oil Delivery Overview
1,103,323 families in Schenectady heat their homes with heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Schenectady temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Schenectady households are reliant on fuel oil delivery each winter.
7% of Schenectady County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Schenectady County Households | Schenectady County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 15.6M | 1.1M |
0 Schenectady Heating Oil Companies Go The Distance
With 664,748,714 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Schenectady households the last heating season, the Schenectady community depends on its 0 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 Schenectady, 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 Schenectady and the surrounding vicinity.
