Homeowners have a host of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Barnstable, used by 1,473,396 or 52% of residents. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Barnstable families is Electricity, used by 610,876 homes (22%). The other homes are heated with Heating Oil (20%), Propane (5%), Wood (1%), and Other (1%).

Barnstable County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (in Number of Households)

Year	Natural Gas	Propane	Electricity	Oil	Wood	Solar	Other
2025	1,473,396	128,896	610,876	555,640	29,010	9,580	23,565
2024	1,472,791	124,926	578,927	572,376	29,933	9,004	21,569
2023	1,413,104	137,540	556,235	615,564	28,805	6,958	25,447
2022	1,443,888	131,253	509,852	627,332	30,194	6,361	26,280
2021	1,411,895	129,599	492,336	649,036	30,651	5,807	21,455
2020	1,398,855	113,994	470,610	647,570	31,378	4,678	21,500
2019	1,385,815	98,388	448,883	646,103	32,105	3,549	21,544
2018	1,374,460	92,227	434,646	657,583	28,621	3,078	20,618
2017	1,353,682	88,756	418,715	674,937	34,421	3,525	19,989
2016	1,332,610	81,858	405,055	688,925	35,051	2,421	19,478
2015	1,306,073	79,528	403,279	690,548	38,927	1,693	20,120
2014	1,310,713	77,135	371,616	703,760	41,999	825	21,307
2013	1,265,878	81,306	371,400	740,917	47,009	1,432	17,553
2012	1,249,253	68,517	365,060	772,641	43,393	487	14,495
2011	1,242,643	65,582	354,007	806,422	40,356	893	13,919
2010	1,234,502	70,046	341,806	810,266	38,813	880	14,235

Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Barnstable

Oil has become decreasing in demand in Barnstable. In the 8 years since 2017, the number of families using fuel oil declined from 674,937 to 555,640, a 18% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Barnstable

Between 2017 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 88,756 to 128,896, a 45% change. Comparing 2017 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel grew from 1,353,682 to 1,473,396, a 9% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Barnstable

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Barnstable. Since 2017, the number of homes heating with electricity increased from 418,715 to 610,876, a 46% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Barnstable

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. As it stands today, 9,580 homes in Barnstable are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 172% gain from 2017, when 3,525 homes utilized active solar heating.

Barnstable County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Barnstable County homeowners purchased a total of 19 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Barnstable’s overall fuel oil usage fluctuates annually depending on winter temperatures. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ boilers need to burn increasing amounts of fuel oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Barnstable was 30.0°F, which was 4.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Barnstable County Average Winter Temperature

Heating Season	Average Temperature
2024 - 2025	30° F
2023 - 2024	34.5° F

Barnstable County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Barnstable households heating with fuel oil, selecting which of the 40 heating oil companies that serve Barnstable is an important decision.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 309 “full-service” oil companies that serve Barnstable. Full service companies such as Snow's Fuel Company LLC or ScudderTaylor Oil Co offer customers annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and boiler repair. With an automatic fuel oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s heating 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 households who are on a budget. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the heating oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. Some of the 2 Barnstable cash heating oil companies serving Barnstable include Cape Cod Oil Co and Mid cape Discount Oil.

Barnstable Fuel Oil Company Fast Facts: Oil Companies Serving Barnstable: 40 companies .
Average Number of Barnstable Houses Served per Heating Oil company : 13891

Barnstable Heating Oil Delivery Overview

555,640 families in Barnstable heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Barnstable temperatures drop as low as 24.3° F each winter. 19.6% of Barnstable homes depend on heating oil delivery each winter.

9.8% of Barnstable County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter

Barnstable County Households	Barnstable County Heating Oil Households
5.6M	555,640

615 Barnstable Number Two Heating Oil Companies Serving The Community

With 582,115,838 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Barnstable residences the last heating season, the Barnstable community relies on its 615 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. 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 Barnstable, two of the closest terminals are Sprague W in Springfield, MA and Buckeye in Springfield, MA. Then, the truck delivers the fuel oil to residences and companies throughout Barnstable and the surrounding region.

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