Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Middlesex Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homeowners have a variety of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Middlesex, used by 537,918 or 37% of residents. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Middlesex households 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%).
Middlesex 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 Middlesex
Oil has become less popular in Middlesex. In the 5 years since 2020, the number of households using oil fell from 533,736 to 491,612, a 8% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Middlesex
Between 2020 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel shot up 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 increased from 503,622 to 537,918, a 7% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Middlesex
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Middlesex. Since 2020, the number of homes heating with electricity increased from 247,960 to 302,730, a 22% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Middlesex
The most eco-friendly heating option is solar. 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. Today, 6,488 homes in Middlesex are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 240% gain from 2020, when 1,909 homes incorporated active solar heating.
Middlesex County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Middlesex County homeowners purchased a total of 27 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Middlesex’s overall heating oil usage fluctuates yearly depending on winter temperatures. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ boilers need to burn more and more heating oil to keep the house warm inside. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Middlesex was 30.6°F, which was 4.6°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Middlesex County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 30.6° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 35.2° F |
Middlesex County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Middlesex homes heating with oil, picking which of the 199 heating oil companies that serve Middlesex is an important decision.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 961 “full-service” oil companies that serve Middlesex. Full service companies such as Aaa Oil Company or Spring Brook Ice & Fuel offer clients annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating oil delivery and heating system repair. With an automatic fuel 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 known by the names “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for customers who are on a budget. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the fuel oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order either when the level runs low or just before a major snowstorm. Some of the 2 Middlesex cash heating oil companies serving Middlesex include Angel Fuel LLC and Martin Heating Oil LLC.
Middlesex Oil Company Statistics: Oil Companies Serving Middlesex: 199 companies .
Average Number of Middlesex Houses Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 2470
Middlesex Heating Oil Delivery Overview
491,612 households in Middlesex heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Middlesex temperatures drop as low as 25.1° F each winter. 33.7% of Middlesex homes depend on fuel oil delivery each winter.
16.8% of Middlesex County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Middlesex County Households | Middlesex County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 2.9M | 491,612 |
1528 Middlesex Number Two Heating Oil Companies Serving The Community
With 397,280,973 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Middlesex homeowners last winter, the Middlesex community looks to its 1528 oil companies to keep warm throughout the winter. Oil delivery has two parts to it: First, an oil truck picks up oil at the nearest bulk fuel terminal (also known as a “rack”). In the case of Middlesex, two of the closest terminals are Buckeye in Wethersfield, CT and Sprague W in Springfield, MA. Then, the truck delivers the oil to homes and businesses throughout Middlesex and the surrounding area.
