Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Hampden Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homeowners have a choice of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Hampden, used by 1,473,396 or 52% of households. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Hampden homeowners is Electricity, used by 610,876 homes (22%). The other homes are heated with Heating Oil (20%), Propane (5%), Wood (1%), and Other (1%).
Hampden 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 Hampden
Fuel oil has become less frequently used in Hampden. In the 6 years since 2019, the number of households using fuel oil declined from 646,103 to 555,640, a 14% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Hampden
Between 2019 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 98,388 to 128,896, a 31% change. Comparing 2019 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 1,385,815 to 1,473,396, a 6% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Hampden
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more prevalent in Hampden. Since 2019, the number of homes heating with electricity shot up from 448,883 to 610,876, a 36% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Hampden
Out of all fuels, solar is the safest for the environment. 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. Today, 9,580 homes in Hampden are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 170% gain from 2019, when 3,549 homes incorporated active solar heating.
Hampden County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Hampden County homeowners purchased a total of 37 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Hampden’s overall oil usage fluctuates yearly based on the severity of the winter. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ heating systems need to burn additional oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Hampden was 30.0°F, which was 4.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Hampden County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 30° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 34.5° F |
Hampden County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Hampden homeowners heating with heating oil, picking which of the 69 heating oil companies that serve Hampden plays a big role in determining how much money is spent on heating each winter.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who are willing to pay a premium for a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 502 “full-service” oil companies that serve Hampden. Full service companies such as Richard's Fuel & Heating Inc or Fuel Services Inc offer homeowners annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic heating oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s fuel oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The client 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 families who are looking to save money. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower 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. Examples of 2 Hampden cash heating oil companies serving Hampden include Patterson Fuel Co and Khan Oil.
Hampden Oil Company Statistics: Heating oil Companies Serving Hampden: 69 companies .
Average Number of Hampden Homes Served per Heating Oil company : 8053
Hampden Heating Oil Delivery Overview
555,640 homes in Hampden heat their homes with number two heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Hampden temperatures drop as low as 24.3° F each winter. 19.6% of Hampden residences are reliant on heating oil delivery each winter.
9.8% of Hampden County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Hampden County Households | Hampden County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 5.6M | 555,640 |
1057 Hampden Fuel Oil Companies You Can Bank On
With 582,115,838 gallons of number two heating oil delivered to Hampden families during this past winter, the Hampden community looks to its 1057 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 Hampden, two of the closest terminals are Sprague W in Springfield, MA and Buckeye in Springfield, MA. Then, the truck delivers the number two heating oil to residences and companies throughout Hampden and the surrounding area.