Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Pike Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homes have a variety of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Pike, used by 2,796,352 or 52% of households. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Pike families 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%).
Pike 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 Pike
Number two heating oil has become losing popularity in Pike. In the 3 years since 2022, the number of households using number two heating oil dropped from 742,118 to 663,450, a 11% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Pike
Between 2022 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel remained unchanged at 282,182, a 0% change. Comparing 2022 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 2,710,114 to 2,796,352, a 3% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Pike
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Pike. Since 2022, the number of homes heating with electricity increased from 1,337,240 to 1,447,260, a 8% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Pike
Out of all fuels, solar is the safest for the environment. 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. Today, 7,204 homes in Pike are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 36% gain from 2022, when 5,282 homes used active solar heating.
Pike County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Pike County homeowners purchased a total of 2 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Pike’s overall fuel oil use changes each year as winter conditions change. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ furnaces need to burn additional heating oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Pike was 29.3°F, which was 5.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Pike County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 29.3° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 34.8° F |
Pike County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Pike homes heating with heating oil, selecting which of the 5 heating oil companies that serve Pike is an important decision.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Pike. Full service companies such as or offer families annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic number two heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s 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 return for better prices, you monitor the fuel oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. Examples of 2 Pike cash heating oil companies serving Pike include Plociniak Oil Company Inc Inc and Locklins Bottled Gas Inc.
Pike Number Two Heating Oil Company By The Numbers: Heating oil Companies Serving Pike: 5 companies .
Average Number of Pike Homes Served per Fuel Oil company : 132690
Pike Heating Oil Delivery Overview
663,450 houses in Pike heat their homes with number two heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Pike temperatures drop as low as 23.2° F each winter. 12.3% of Pike residences rely on oil delivery each winter.
6.1% of Pike County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Pike County Households | Pike County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 10.7M | 663,450 |
27 Pike Number Two Heating Oil Companies Go The Distance
With 507,486,889 gallons of heating oil delivered to Pike families last winter, the Pike community depends on its 27 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 Pike, two of the closest terminals are Ergon in Newell, PA and Etmt in Blawnox, PA. Then, the truck delivers the fuel oil to residences and companies throughout Pike and the surrounding area.
