Something went wrong

Cities In Massachusetts with Local Heating Oil Deals

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

Homeowners have a variety of home heating fuels to choose from. Natural gas is the most popular choice in Massachusetts, used by 1,462,335 or 52.38% of homes. The 2nd most popular choice for Massachusetts homeowners is heating oil, used by 663,749 homes (23.78%). The remaining homes are heated with electricity (490,395), propane (123,474), wood (34,021), and other fuels (50,956).

Massachusetts Primary Home Heating Fuel Popularity by Number of Households

FuelMassachusetts Households % of Households
Natural Gas1.4M52.38%
Heating Oil663,74923.78%
Electricity490,39517.57%
Propane123,4744.42%
Wood34,0211.22%
Other Fuels24,6550.88%
No Fuel19,2830.69%
Solar5,4650.20%
Coal1,5530.06%

Natural gas (52.38)

Heating oil (23.78)

Electricity (17.57)

Propane (4.42)

Wood (1.22)

Other fuels (0.88)

No fuel (0.69)

Solar (0.20)

Coal (0.06)

#2 Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Massachusetts

Heating oil has become less popular in Massachusetts. In the 8 years since 2014, the number of heating oil homes fell from 770,791 to 663,749, a 13.89% drop.

Massachusetts Heating Oil Households (2011 - 2022)

YearHeating Oil Households
2011851,319
2012827,983
2013798,470
2014770,791
2015746,949
2016723,433
2017707,835
2018690,486
2019678,224
2020667,484
2021662,876
2022663,749

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Massachusetts

Between 2014 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose from 72,705 to 123,474.

Between 2014 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel rose from 1,261,561 to 1,462,335.

Electricity use for home heating in Massachusetts

Electric space heating systems are becoming more popular in Massachusetts. Since 2014, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 361,114 to 490,395, a 35.80% increase.

Solar use for home heating in Massachusetts

Solar is the most environmentally friendly of all space 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 in the basement.

Currently, 5,465 homes in Massachusetts are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 515.43% increase from 2014, when only 888 homes had installed active solar heating.

Massachusetts Heating Oil Trends

Short Term Trends

Heating SeasonAverage Temperature
Winter 2022 - 202342.7° F
Winter 2021 - 202237.4° F

Massachusetts Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Massachusetts homeowners heating with oil, selecting which of the 800 heating oil companies that serve Massachusetts is an important decision.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners willing to pay a premium for a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 210 “full-service” oil companies that serve Massachusetts. Full service companies such as Arlex Oil Corp or Arlington Fuel Oil Co Inc offer automatic fuel delivery and furnace repair under a single roof.

Discount Oil Companies: Also known by the names “COD Fuel Companies” or “Cash Heating Oil Companies”, these companies are for the budget-conscious Massachusetts homeowner. In return for better prices, you monitor the oil level in your tank and place an order when you run low on oil. Examples of cash heating oil companies that serve Massachusetts include Lucky Burner Service Inc and John G Maclellan Inc.

Massachusetts Heating Oil Company Fast Facts

Heating Oil Companies Serving Massachusetts: 800 companies

Average Number Of Massachusetts Homes Served Per Company: 823 homes

Average Gallons Delivered per Massachusetts Oil Company: 727,644 gallons per year

More Massachusetts HVAC Resources