Homeowners have a choice of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Berkshire, used by 1,473,396 or 52% of families. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Berkshire households is Electricity, used by 610,876 homes (22%). The rest of the homes are heated with Heating Oil (20%), Propane (5%), Wood (1%), and Other (1%).

Berkshire County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (No. 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 Berkshire

Number two heating oil has become decreasing in demand in Berkshire. In the 13 years since 2012, the number of households using fuel oil declined from 772,641 to 555,640, a 28% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Berkshire

Between 2012 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose from 68,517 to 128,896, a 88% change. Comparing 2012 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel grew from 1,249,253 to 1,473,396, a 18% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Berkshire

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are increasing in demand in Berkshire. Since 2012, the number of homes heating with electricity ramped up from 365,060 to 610,876, a 67% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Berkshire

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. Currently, 9,580 homes in Berkshire are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 1867% gain from 2012, when 487 homes incorporated active solar heating.

Berkshire County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Berkshire County homeowners purchased a total of 13 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Berkshire’s overall oil usage fluctuates annually based on the severity of the winter. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ furnaces need to burn additional oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Berkshire was 30.0°F, which was 4.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Berkshire County Average Winter Temperature

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

Berkshire County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Berkshire homeowners heating with heating oil, choosing which of the 10 heating oil companies that serve Berkshire is an important decision.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 37 “full-service” oil companies that serve Berkshire. Full service companies such as Lipton Energy or West Oil Company Inc offer households annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic 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 known by the names “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for clients who are looking to save money. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the number two 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 Berkshire cash heating oil companies serving Berkshire include Clifford Oil and Pioneer Valley Oil & Propane.

Berkshire Heating Oil Company Fast Facts: Heating oil Companies Serving Berkshire: 10 companies .
Average Number of Berkshire Homes Served per Heating Oil company : 55564

Berkshire Heating Oil Delivery Overview

555,640 families in Berkshire heat their homes with fuel oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Berkshire temperatures drop as low as 24.3° F each winter. 19.6% of Berkshire residences are reliant on fuel oil delivery each winter.

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

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

124 Berkshire Fuel Oil Companies You Can Bank On

With 582,115,838 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Berkshire households last winter, the Berkshire community relies on its 124 oil companies when temperatures dip. 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 Berkshire, two of the closest terminals are Sprague W in Springfield, MA and Buckeye in Springfield, MA. Then, the truck delivers the #2 heating oil to homes and businesses throughout Berkshire and the surrounding region.

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