Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Jefferson Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homeowners have a variety of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Jefferson, used by 2,796,352 or 52% of families. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Jefferson residents is Electricity, used by 1,447,260 homes (27%). The remaining homes are heated with Heating Oil (12%), Propane (5%), Wood (2%), and Coal (1%).
Jefferson County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (No. of Households)
| Year | Natural Gas | Propane | Electricity | Oil | Wood | Solar | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 2,805,138 | 291,502 | 1,481,338 | 646,118 | 111,006 | 7,892 | 31,343 |
| 2025 | 2,796,352 | 282,182 | 1,447,260 | 663,450 | 112,270 | 7,204 | 31,146 |
| 2024 | 2,785,913 | 276,598 | 1,396,275 | 685,083 | 111,416 | 6,155 | 32,085 |
| 2023 | 2,698,411 | 278,621 | 1,389,291 | 717,601 | 111,540 | 6,964 | 44,558 |
| 2022 | 2,710,114 | 282,625 | 1,337,240 | 742,118 | 105,147 | 5,282 | 41,959 |
| 2021 | 2,677,533 | 267,454 | 1,287,322 | 760,867 | 109,832 | 4,867 | 46,436 |
| 2020 | 2,656,062 | 251,472 | 1,254,850 | 776,616 | 113,900 | 4,554 | 41,326 |
| 2019 | 2,634,591 | 235,490 | 1,222,377 | 792,365 | 117,969 | 4,241 | 36,216 |
| 2018 | 2,592,386 | 225,476 | 1,198,450 | 806,761 | 128,110 | 2,197 | 35,172 |
| 2017 | 2,598,275 | 222,650 | 1,158,937 | 790,353 | 127,198 | 2,225 | 35,586 |
| 2016 | 2,551,248 | 209,719 | 1,133,797 | 805,822 | 125,583 | 1,639 | 34,565 |
| 2015 | 2,549,385 | 200,754 | 1,103,995 | 837,082 | 141,835 | 2,117 | 38,034 |
| 2014 | 2,528,694 | 198,296 | 1,087,741 | 858,758 | 148,256 | 1,760 | 36,886 |
| 2013 | 2,516,052 | 195,799 | 1,086,074 | 870,064 | 148,597 | 1,408 | 33,941 |
| 2012 | 2,530,063 | 188,880 | 1,046,982 | 936,674 | 145,089 | 1,484 | 31,494 |
| 2011 | 2,516,883 | 178,387 | 1,019,764 | 973,749 | 137,625 | 1,545 | 28,259 |
| 2010 | 2,530,446 | 177,562 | 997,925 | 993,832 | 126,074 | 597 | 29,423 |
Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Jefferson
Number two heating oil has become less popular in Jefferson. In the 2 years since 2023, the number of households using heating oil dipped from 717,601 to 663,450, a 8% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Jefferson
Between 2023 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 278,621 to 282,182, a 1% change. Comparing 2023 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel grew from 2,698,411 to 2,796,352, a 4% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Jefferson
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are increasing in demand in Jefferson. Since 2023, the number of homes heating with electricity grew from 1,389,291 to 1,447,260, a 4% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Jefferson
The most eco-friendly heating option is solar. 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 Jefferson are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 3% gain from 2023, when 6,964 homes had active solar heating.
Jefferson County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Jefferson County homeowners purchased a total of 143,254 gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Jefferson’s overall oil consumption fluctuates from year to year correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ furnaces need to burn increasing amounts of fuel oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Jefferson was 29.3°F, which was 5.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Jefferson County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 29.3° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 34.8° F |
Jefferson County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Jefferson homes heating with oil, choosing which of the 0 heating oil companies that serve Jefferson is an important decision.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who are willing to pay a premium for a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Jefferson. Full service companies such as or offer families 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 homeowner 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 homeowners who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. Some of the 0 Jefferson cash heating oil companies serving Jefferson include Inc and .
Jefferson Number Two Heating Oil Company Statistics: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Jefferson: 0 companies .
Average Number of Jefferson Homes Served per Fuel Oil company : 663450
Jefferson Heating Oil Delivery Overview
663,450 households in Jefferson heat their homes with heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Jefferson temperatures drop as low as 23.2° F each winter. 12.3% of Jefferson houses rely on fuel oil delivery each winter.
6.1% of Jefferson County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Jefferson County Households | Jefferson County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 10.7M | 663,450 |
0 Jefferson Number Two Heating Oil Companies You Can Trust
With 507,486,889 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Jefferson homeowners the last heating season, the Jefferson community depends on its 0 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 Jefferson, 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 Jefferson and the surrounding region.
