Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Snyder Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Households have a host of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Snyder, used by 2,796,352 or 52% of families. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Snyder 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%).
Snyder 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 Snyder
Number two heating oil has become less popular in Snyder. In the 5 years since 2020, the number of families using fuel oil dropped from 776,616 to 663,450, a 15% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Snyder
Between 2020 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 251,472 to 282,182, a 12% change. Comparing 2020 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 2,656,062 to 2,796,352, a 5% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Snyder
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Snyder. Since 2020, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 1,254,850 to 1,447,260, a 15% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Snyder
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. Today, 7,204 homes in Snyder are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 58% gain from 2020, when 4,554 homes used active solar heating.
Snyder County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Snyder County homeowners purchased a total of 2 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Snyder’s overall oil consumption changes each year primarily depending on how cold each winter is. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ heating systems need to burn additional number two heating oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Snyder was 29.3°F, which was 5.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Snyder County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 29.3° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 34.8° F |
Snyder County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Snyder homes heating with oil, picking which of the 7 heating oil companies that serve Snyder makes a big difference.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who can afford a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Snyder. Full service companies such as or offer clients annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s 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 known by the names “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for households 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 you're running low. A few of the 2 Snyder cash heating oil companies serving Snyder include Millers Gas & Oil Service Inc Inc and Kratzer Oil Co Inc.
Snyder Fuel Oil Company By The Numbers: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Snyder: 7 companies .
Average Number of Snyder Houses Served per Heating Oil company : 94779
Snyder Heating Oil Delivery Overview
663,450 residences in Snyder heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Snyder temperatures drop as low as 23.2° F each winter. 12.3% of Snyder families are reliant on fuel oil delivery each winter.
6.1% of Snyder County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Snyder County Households | Snyder County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 10.7M | 663,450 |
50 Snyder Number Two Heating Oil Companies You Can Trust
With 507,486,889 gallons of number two heating oil delivered to Snyder houses during this past winter, the Snyder community depends on its 50 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 Snyder, 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 Snyder and the surrounding region.
