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Sussex County Heating Oil Price History

Updated on December 10, 2025 at 07:00 PM

DatePrice
12/10/2025 $3.260

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

Households have a choice of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Sussex, used by 198,718 or 47% of homeowners. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Sussex families is Electricity, used by 157,698 homes (38%). The remaining homes are heated with Heating Oil (8%), Propane (6%), Wood (1%), and Other (1%).

Sussex County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (in Number of Households)

DateNatural GasPropaneElectricityOilWoodSolarOther
20252384616280991189232538648761916360830435
20242217977353135183472341238448444611629808
20232059528419512177948543858635898841729189
20221995393435056171858046040032092929529017
20211968559425582165779946918632011875028853
20201916795425788159621347442334546791328099
20191867528437009150969749055239716742926259
20181834942439070144438550872642875611824846
20171790341432574141181652493443471436225629
20161745660431494137720854913144409316625565
20151703084427480134324458275044720232525732
20141663465419622131334161006541798171826104
20131633491421587126971163805140199148424953
20121616747432109121923266869441991126122082
2011160103443997711933036927494055193218833
2010158128444523511809647125733660481016446

Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Sussex

Oil has become losing popularity in Sussex. In the 13 years since 2012, the number of residents using oil declined from 55,727 to 32,207, a 42% drop.

Number of Households Using Heating Oil in Sussex County

DateHouseholds
2025-11-1131662
2025-11-1031663
2025-11-0931667
2025-11-0831670
2025-11-0731675
2025-11-0631677
2025-11-0531681
2025-11-0431683
2025-11-0331686
2025-11-0231688
2025-11-0131694
2025-10-3131694
2025-10-3031695
2025-10-2931696
2025-10-2831701
2025-10-2731704
2025-10-2631708
2025-10-2531709
2025-10-2431713
2025-10-2331715
2025-10-2231720
2025-10-2131724
2025-10-2031727
2025-10-1931730
2025-10-1831733
2025-10-1731736
2025-10-1631739
2025-10-1531744
2025-10-1431748
2025-10-1331751
2025-10-1231754
2025-10-1131757
2025-10-1031760
2025-10-0931764
2025-10-0831767
2025-10-0731772
2025-10-0631774
2025-10-0531778
2025-10-0431779
2025-10-0331782
2025-10-0231786
2025-10-0131791
2025-09-3031792
2025-09-2931794

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Sussex

Between 2012 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel dropped from 36,011 to 23,419, a 35% change. Comparing 2012 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 134,732 to 198,718, a 47% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Sussex

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Sussex. Since 2012, the number of homes heating with electricity ramped up from 101,602 to 157,698, a 55% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Sussex

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, 302 homes in Sussex are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 185% gain from 2012, when 106 homes used active solar heating.

Sussex County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Sussex County homeowners purchased a total of 4 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Sussex’s overall fuel oil consumption varies from year to year as winter conditions change. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ furnaces need to burn more and more number two heating oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Sussex was 36°F, which was 0.8°F warmer than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Sussex County Average Winter Temperature

Heating SeasonAverage Temperature
2024 - 202539.7° F
2023 - 202437° F

Sussex County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Sussex homeowners heating with heating oil, selecting which of the 11 heating oil companies that serve Sussex plays a big role in determining how much money is spent on heating each winter.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who value a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Sussex. Full service companies such as or offer households annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating oil delivery and furnace repair. With an automatic heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s number two 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: Often called “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for families who are on a budget. 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 the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. A few of the 2 Sussex cash heating oil companies serving Sussex include Liberty Propane and Peninsula Propane.

Sussex Oil Company By The Numbers: Heating oil Companies Serving Sussex: 11 companies .

Average Number of Sussex Households Served per Heating Oil company : 8827

Sussex Heating Oil Delivery Overview

384,507 families in Sussex heat their homes with heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Sussex temperatures drop as low as 36° F each winter. 8% of Sussex residences depend on oil delivery each winter.

7.43% of Sussex County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter

Sussex County HouseholdsSussex County Heating Oil Households
1.2M91,740

122 Sussex Fuel Oil Companies You Can Trust

With 15,453,978.435 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Sussex homeowners during this past winter, the Sussex community depends on its 122 oil companies when temperatures dip. 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 Sussex, two of the closest terminals are Pbfenergy in Delaware City, DE and Etmt in Twin Oaks, PA. Then, the truck delivers the number two heating oil to residences and companies throughout Sussex and the surrounding vicinity.

Heating Oil Near You In These Adjacent Counties