Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Tolland Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Residences have a variety of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most popular choice in Tolland, used by 537,918 or 37% of households. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Tolland households is Heating Oil, used by 491,612 homes (34%). The other homes are heated with Electricity (21%), Propane (6%), Wood (1%), and Other (1%).
Tolland 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 Tolland
Fuel oil has become less frequently used in Tolland. In the 12 years since 2013, the number of households using heating oil dipped from 585,757 to 491,612, a 16% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Tolland
Between 2013 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 46,397 to 88,504, a 91% change. Comparing 2013 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel grew from 449,787 to 537,918, a 20% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Tolland
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Tolland. Since 2013, the number of homes heating with electricity jumped from 209,463 to 302,730, a 45% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Tolland
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 Tolland are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 1518% gain from 2013, when 401 homes incorporated active solar heating.
Tolland County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Tolland County homeowners purchased a total of 23 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Tolland’s overall number two heating oil consumption varies each year based on the severity of the winter. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ heating systems need to burn additional oil to keep the house warm inside. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Tolland was 30.6°F, which was 4.6°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Tolland County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 30.6° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 35.2° F |
Tolland County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Tolland families heating with oil, selecting which of the 135 heating oil companies that serve Tolland is an important decision.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who value a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 641 “full-service” oil companies that serve Tolland. Full service companies such as Ed's Garage Inc or HYBRID SERVICES LLC. offer households annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic oil delivery and boiler repair. With an automatic number two heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The homeowner does not need to monitor the level of the oil tank or place individual orders.
Discount Oil Companies: Often called “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for customers who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the number two heating oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. Examples of 2 Tolland cash heating oil companies serving Tolland include Amber Oil Inc and 1St Choice Fuel LLC.
Tolland Number Two Heating Oil Company Statistics: Heating oil Companies Serving Tolland: 135 companies .
Average Number of Tolland Homes Served per Heating Oil company : 3642
Tolland Heating Oil Delivery Overview
491,612 homes in Tolland heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Tolland temperatures drop as low as 25.1° F each winter. 33.7% of Tolland families are reliant on heating oil delivery each winter.
16.8% of Tolland County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Tolland County Households | Tolland County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 2.9M | 491,612 |
1000 Tolland Fuel Oil Companies Serving The Community
With 397,280,973 gallons of number two heating oil delivered to Tolland families last winter, the Tolland community relies on its 1000 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. 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 Tolland, two of the closest terminals are Buckeye in Wethersfield, CT and Sprague W in Springfield, MA. Then, the truck delivers the fuel oil to residences and companies throughout Tolland and the surrounding region.
