Homeowners have a variety of home heating fuels to choose from. Natural gas is the most popular choice in Washington County, used by 238,742 or 54.26% of homes. The 2nd most popular choice for Washington County homeowners is heating oil, used by 123,813 homes (28.14%). The remaining homes are heated with electricity (48,633), propane (20,429), wood (6,316), and other fuels (5,741).

Washington County Primary Home Heating Fuel Popularity by Number of Households

Fuel	Washington County Households	% of Households
Natural Gas	238,742	54.26%
Heating Oil	123,813	28.14%
Electricity	48,633	11.05%
Propane	20,429	4.64%
Wood	6,316	1.44%
Other Fuels	2,906	0.66%
No Fuel	2,274	0.52%
Solar	368	0.08%
Coal	193	0.04%

Natural gas (54.26)

Heating oil (28.14)

Electricity (11.05)

Propane (4.64)

Wood (1.44)

Other fuels (0.66)

No fuel (0.52)

Solar (0.08)

Coal (0.04)

#2 Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Washington County

Heating oil has become more popular in Washington County. In the 2 years since 2020, the number of heating oil homes rose from 121,062 to 123,813, a 2.27% lift.

Washington County Heating Oil Households (2011 - 2022)

Year	Heating Oil Households
2011	157,426
2012	153,479
2013	147,768
2014	142,612
2015	137,451
2016	132,040
2017	128,844
2018	125,460
2019	122,583
2020	121,062
2021	122,289
2022	123,813

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Washington County

Between 2020 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose from 15,037 to 20,429.

Between 2020 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel rose from 223,737 to 238,742.

Electricity use for home heating in Washington County

Electric space heating systems are becoming more popular in Washington County. Since 2020, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 43,961 to 48,633, a 10.63% increase.

Solar use for home heating in Washington 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, 368 homes in Washington County are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 50.82% increase from 2020, when only 244 homes had installed active solar heating.

Washington County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Washington County homeowners purchased a total of 17 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Washington 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 Washington County, the average outside temperature was 7.2° F warmer than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Washington County Average Winter Temperature

Heating Season	Average Temperature
Winter 2022 - 2023	44.8° F
Winter 2021 - 2022	37.6° F

Washington County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Washington County homeowners heating with oil, selecting which of the 69 heating oil companies that serve Washington 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 37 “full-service” oil companies that serve Washington County. Full service companies such as Energy One or Sunshine Fuels & Energy Service 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 Washington 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 Washington County include Prout Comfort Solutions and American Home Heating & Air Conditioning.

Washington County Heating Oil Company Fast Facts

Heating Oil Companies Serving Washington County: 69 companies

Average Number Of Washington County Homes Served Per Company: 324 homes

Average Gallons Delivered per Washington County Oil Company: 240,561 gallons per year

Washington County Heating Oil Delivery Overview

22,365 households in Washington County heat their homes with fuel oil. This makes oil delivery essential when Washington County thermometers drop as low as 42.5° F each winter.

43% of Washington County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter

Washington County Households	Washington County Heating Oil Households
51,139	22,365

619 Washington County Oil Companies Go the Distance

With 17 million gallons of heating oil delivered to Washington County homeowners during the winter of 2023, the Washington County community relies on its 619 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 Washington County, two of the closest terminals are Shell in Providence, RI and Sprague in Providence, RI. Then, the truck delivers the #2 heating oil to homes and businesses in Washington County.