Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Fairfield Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Residences have a variety of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Fairfield, used by 537,918 or 37% of households. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Fairfield homeowners is Heating Oil, used by 491,612 homes (34%). The rest of the homes are heated with Electricity (21%), Propane (6%), Wood (1%), and Other (1%).
Fairfield County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (in Number of Households)
| Year | Natural Gas | Propane | Electricity | Oil | Wood | Solar | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 537,918 | 88,504 | 302,730 | 491,612 | 19,550 | 6,488 | 10,689 |
| 2024 | 526,146 | 82,630 | 293,463 | 509,593 | 21,103 | 5,852 | 10,146 |
| 2023 | 530,315 | 92,469 | 276,839 | 496,091 | 19,885 | 4,238 | 15,392 |
| 2022 | 519,969 | 86,596 | 262,494 | 520,424 | 18,487 | 2,985 | 13,466 |
| 2021 | 506,772 | 80,721 | 258,306 | 532,053 | 22,992 | 2,966 | 14,306 |
| 2020 | 503,622 | 73,848 | 247,960 | 533,736 | 22,648 | 1,909 | 11,330 |
| 2019 | 500,471 | 66,974 | 237,614 | 535,420 | 22,304 | 852 | 8,355 |
| 2018 | 497,422 | 60,526 | 232,420 | 549,036 | 22,954 | 1,579 | 8,782 |
| 2017 | 478,136 | 55,608 | 219,208 | 562,247 | 24,510 | 1,029 | 10,257 |
| 2016 | 476,852 | 55,631 | 230,532 | 554,283 | 23,580 | 900 | 9,232 |
| 2015 | 471,195 | 51,915 | 214,414 | 561,996 | 29,530 | 937 | 8,159 |
| 2014 | 464,748 | 49,540 | 212,031 | 576,948 | 34,478 | 554 | 11,670 |
| 2013 | 449,787 | 46,397 | 209,463 | 585,757 | 29,361 | 401 | 10,236 |
| 2012 | 442,443 | 43,849 | 212,708 | 615,734 | 27,351 | 378 | 9,891 |
| 2011 | 437,840 | 43,778 | 207,267 | 625,164 | 25,707 | 611 | 7,588 |
| 2010 | 427,850 | 39,533 | 203,568 | 650,621 | 26,373 | 299 | 7,110 |
Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Fairfield
Fuel oil has become decreasing in demand in Fairfield. In the 2 years since 2023, the number of residents using oil declined from 496,091 to 491,612, a 1% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Fairfield
Between 2023 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel decreased from 92,469 to 88,504, a 4% change. Comparing 2023 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 530,315 to 537,918, a 1% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Fairfield
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are increasing in demand in Fairfield. Since 2023, the number of homes heating with electricity jumped from 276,839 to 302,730, a 9% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Fairfield
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. Now, 6,488 homes in Fairfield are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 53% gain from 2023, when 4,238 homes incorporated active solar heating.
Fairfield County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Fairfield County homeowners purchased a total of 89 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Fairfield’s overall fuel oil usage changes each year primarily depending on how cold each winter is. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ HVAC systems need to burn increasing amounts of heating oil to keep the house warm inside. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Fairfield was 30.6°F, which was 4.6°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Fairfield County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 30.6° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 35.2° F |
Fairfield County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Fairfield families heating with heating oil, picking which of the 165 heating oil companies that serve Fairfield makes a big difference.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 1244 “full-service” oil companies that serve Fairfield. Full service companies such as Rural Energy LLC or L H Gault & Son offer families annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating oil delivery and heating system repair. With an automatic heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s fuel oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The customer does not need to monitor the level of the oil tank or place individual orders.
Discount Oil Companies: also referred to as “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for customers who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the heating oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order either when the level runs low or just before a major snowstorm. Examples of 2 Fairfield cash heating oil companies serving Fairfield include Affordable Heating & Fuel LLC and Elshaddai Oil Company.
Fairfield Fuel Oil Company Fast Facts: Heating oil Companies Serving Fairfield: 165 companies .
Average Number of Fairfield Homes Served per Fuel Oil company : 2979
Fairfield Heating Oil Delivery Overview
491,612 households in Fairfield heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Fairfield temperatures drop as low as 25.1° F each winter. 33.7% of Fairfield houses are reliant on fuel oil delivery each winter.
16.8% of Fairfield County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Fairfield County Households | Fairfield County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 2.9M | 491,612 |
2218 Fairfield Number Two Heating Oil Companies You Can Bank On
With 397,280,973 gallons of oil delivered to Fairfield residences the last heating season, the Fairfield community depends on its 2218 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 Fairfield, two of the closest terminals are Buckeye in Wethersfield, CT and Sprague W in Springfield, MA. Then, the truck delivers the fuel oil to homes and businesses throughout Fairfield and the surrounding vicinity.