Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Oswego County Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homeowners have a variety of home heating fuels to choose from. Natural gas is the most popular choice in Oswego County, used by 4,593,346 or 59.99% of homes. The 2nd most popular choice for Oswego County homeowners is heating oil, used by 1,379,410 homes (18.02%). The remaining homes are heated with electricity (1,040,155), propane (371,184), no fuel (127,077), and other fuels (245,918).
Oswego County Primary Home Heating Fuel Popularity by Number of Households
| Fuel | Oswego County Households | % of Households |
|---|---|---|
| Natural Gas | 4.5M | 59.99% |
| Heating Oil | 1.3M | 18.02% |
| Electricity | 1.0M | 13.59% |
| Propane | 371,184 | 4.85% |
| No Fuel | 127,077 | 1.66% |
| Wood | 117,324 | 1.53% |
| Other Fuels | 102,644 | 1.34% |
| Coal | 17,488 | 0.23% |
| Solar | 8,462 | 0.11% |
Natural gas (59.99)
Heating oil (18.02)
Electricity (13.59)
Propane (4.85)
No fuel (1.66)
Wood (1.53)
Other fuels (1.34)
Coal (0.23)
Solar (0.11)
#2 Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Oswego County
Heating oil has become less popular in Oswego County. In the 5 years since 2017, the number of heating oil homes fell from 1,663,074 to 1,379,410, a 17.06% drop.
Oswego County Heating Oil Households (2011 - 2022)
| Year | Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 2.1M |
| 2012 | 2.0M |
| 2013 | 1.9M |
| 2014 | 1.9M |
| 2015 | 1.8M |
| 2016 | 1.7M |
| 2017 | 1.6M |
| 2018 | 1.5M |
| 2019 | 1.5M |
| 2020 | 1.4M |
| 2021 | 1.4M |
| 2022 | 1.3M |
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Oswego County
Between 2017 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose from 274,348 to 371,184.
Between 2017 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel rose from 4,228,093 to 4,593,346.
Electricity use for home heating in Oswego County
Electric space heating systems are becoming more popular in Oswego County. Since 2017, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 820,554 to 1,040,155, a 26.76% increase.
Solar use for home heating in Oswego County
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, 8,462 homes in Oswego County are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 102.49% increase from 2017, when only 4,179 homes had installed active solar heating.
Oswego County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Oswego County homeowners purchased a total of 1 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Oswego County’s overall heating oil use varies from year to year, primarily depending on how cold each winter is. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ heating systems need to burn more and more oil to keep homes warm. Last winter in Oswego County, the average outside temperature was 5.7° F warmer than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Oswego County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| Winter 2022 - 2023 | 46.5° F |
| Winter 2021 - 2022 | 40.8° F |
Oswego County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Oswego County homeowners heating with oil, selecting which of the 21 heating oil companies that serve Oswego County 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 3 “full-service” oil companies that serve Oswego County. Full service companies such as TEST Heat Rabbit or TestCo DoNotOrder 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 Oswego County 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 Oswego County include Hendrick Mechanical and Raponi Plumbing & Heating.
Oswego County Heating Oil Company Fast Facts
Heating Oil Companies Serving Oswego County: 21 companies
Average Number Of Oswego County Homes Served Per Company: 146 homes
Average Gallons Delivered per Oswego County Oil Company: 70,725 gallons per year
Oswego County Heating Oil Delivery Overview
3,082 households in Oswego County heat their homes with fuel oil. This makes oil delivery essential when Oswego County thermometers drop as low as 42.5° F each winter.
13% of Oswego County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Oswego County Households | Oswego County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 23,076 | 3,082 |
85 Oswego County Oil Companies Go the Distance
With 1 million gallons of heating oil delivered to Oswego County homeowners during the winter of 2023, the Oswego County community relies on its 85 oil companies to keep warm.
Oil delivery is a two step process: First, an oil truck picks up oil at the nearest bulk fuel terminal. In the case of Oswego County, two of the closest terminals are Buckeye in Brewerton, NY and Buckeye in Syracuse, NY. Then, the truck delivers the #2 heating oil to homes and businesses in Oswego County.
Heating Oil Near You In These Adjacent Counties
More Oswego County HVAC Resources
© Davos Energy LLC 2022
All Rights Reserved
CT Online Marketplace
Reg#0001286 14
Heat Fleet
For Dealers
Contact