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Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Bucks Home Heating Fuel Comparison

Homeowners have a variety of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Bucks, used by 2,796,352 or 52% of homeowners. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Bucks residents is Electricity, used by 1,447,260 homes (27%). The other homes are heated with Heating Oil (12%), Propane (5%), Wood (2%), and Coal (1%).

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

YearNatural GasPropaneElectricityOilWoodSolarOther
20262,805,138291,5021,481,338646,118111,0067,89231,343
20252,796,352282,1821,447,260663,450112,2707,20431,146
20242,785,913276,5981,396,275685,083111,4166,15532,085
20232,698,411278,6211,389,291717,601111,5406,96444,558
20222,710,114282,6251,337,240742,118105,1475,28241,959
20212,677,533267,4541,287,322760,867109,8324,86746,436
20202,656,062251,4721,254,850776,616113,9004,55441,326
20192,634,591235,4901,222,377792,365117,9694,24136,216
20182,592,386225,4761,198,450806,761128,1102,19735,172
20172,598,275222,6501,158,937790,353127,1982,22535,586
20162,551,248209,7191,133,797805,822125,5831,63934,565
20152,549,385200,7541,103,995837,082141,8352,11738,034
20142,528,694198,2961,087,741858,758148,2561,76036,886
20132,516,052195,7991,086,074870,064148,5971,40833,941
20122,530,063188,8801,046,982936,674145,0891,48431,494
20112,516,883178,3871,019,764973,749137,6251,54528,259
20102,530,446177,562997,925993,832126,07459729,423

Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Bucks

Fuel oil has become less popular in Bucks. In the 12 years since 2013, the number of homeowners using fuel oil fell from 870,064 to 663,450, a 24% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Bucks

Between 2013 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel increased from 195,799 to 282,182, a 44% change. Comparing 2013 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel increased from 2,516,052 to 2,796,352, a 11% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Bucks

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Bucks. Since 2013, the number of homes heating with electricity shot up from 1,086,074 to 1,447,260, a 33% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Bucks

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. Currently, 7,204 homes in Bucks are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 412% gain from 2013, when 1,408 homes used active solar heating.

Bucks County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Bucks County homeowners purchased a total of 40 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Bucks’s overall oil use fluctuates annually correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ heating systems need to burn more and more number two heating oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Bucks was 29.3°F, which was 5.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Bucks County Average Winter Temperature

Heating SeasonAverage Temperature
2024 - 202529.3° F
2023 - 202434.8° F

Bucks County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Bucks homes heating with fuel oil, picking which of the 69 heating oil companies that serve Bucks is an important decision.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 272 “full-service” oil companies that serve Bucks. Full service companies such as IT Landes or InterCounty Oil Services Inc offer homeowners 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 heating oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The household 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 clients 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 you're running low. Some of the 2 Bucks cash heating oil companies serving Bucks include Ace Fueling Llc Inc and Blaze Oil Corporation.

Bucks Number Two Heating Oil Company Statistics: Heating oil Companies Serving Bucks: 69 companies .

Average Number of Bucks Homes Served per Heating Oil company : 9615

Bucks Heating Oil Delivery Overview

663,450 families in Bucks heat their homes with fuel oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Bucks temperatures drop as low as 23.2° F each winter. 12.3% of Bucks residences depend on fuel oil delivery each winter.

6.1% of Bucks County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter

Bucks County HouseholdsBucks County Heating Oil Households
10.7M663,450

1206 Bucks Heating Oil Companies Homeowners Can Count On

With 507,486,889 gallons of heating oil delivered to Bucks homeowners last winter, the Bucks community relies on its 1206 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. Oil delivery can be summed up in two steps: First, an oil truck picks up oil at the nearest bulk fuel terminal (also known as a “rack”). In the case of Bucks, two of the closest terminals are Ergon in Newell, PA and Etmt in Blawnox, PA. Then, the truck delivers the oil to residences and companies throughout Bucks and the surrounding vicinity.