Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Fairfield Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homes have a choice of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Fairfield, used by 537,918 or 37% of residents. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Fairfield homeowners is Heating Oil, used by 491,612 homes (34%). The other homes are heated with Electricity (21%), Propane (6%), Wood (1%), and Other (1%).
Fairfield County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (No. 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
Heating oil has become less frequently used in Fairfield. In the 5 years since 2020, the number of households using fuel oil declined from 533,736 to 491,612, a 8% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Fairfield
Between 2020 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose from 73,848 to 88,504, a 20% change. Comparing 2020 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 503,622 to 537,918, a 7% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Fairfield
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are increasing in demand in Fairfield. Since 2020, the number of homes heating with electricity shot up from 247,960 to 302,730, a 22% 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 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, 6,488 homes in Fairfield are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 240% gain from 2020, when 1,909 homes utilized 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 oil consumption varies from year to year depending on winter temperatures. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ boilers need to burn additional fuel oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. 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 homes heating with heating oil, selecting which of the 165 heating oil companies that serve Fairfield can drastically impact the cost of home heating.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who can afford a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 1239 “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 fuel oil delivery and boiler repair. With an automatic number two heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s heating oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The family 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 households who are looking to save money. With discount oil companies, in return for better 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. A few of the 2 Fairfield cash heating oil companies serving Fairfield include Affordable Heating & Fuel LLC and Elshaddai Oil Company.
Fairfield Fuel Oil Company Fast Facts: Oil Companies Serving Fairfield: 165 companies .
Average Number of Fairfield Houses Served per Heating Oil company : 2979
Fairfield Heating Oil Delivery Overview
491,612 households in Fairfield heat their homes with fuel oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Fairfield temperatures drop as low as 25.1° F each winter. 33.7% of Fairfield residences rely on number two heating 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 |
2235 Fairfield Fuel Oil Companies You Can Trust
With 397,280,973 gallons of heating oil delivered to Fairfield houses the last heating season, the Fairfield community depends on its 2235 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. Oil delivery can be summed up in two steps: 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 number two heating oil to homes and businesses throughout Fairfield and the surrounding region.