Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Aroostook Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homes have a choice of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Heating Oil is the preferred choice in Aroostook, used by 298,426 or 48% of households. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Aroostook families is Propane, used by 101,382 homes (16%). The other homes are heated with Electricity (15%), Wood (10%), Natural Gas (9%), and Other (2%).
Aroostook County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (in Number of Households)
| Year | Natural Gas | Propane | Electricity | Oil | Wood | Solar | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 53,178 | 101,382 | 92,432 | 298,426 | 65,496 | 3,526 | 9,422 |
| 2024 | 51,248 | 98,171 | 83,361 | 309,159 | 59,610 | 3,144 | 8,226 |
| 2023 | 51,811 | 84,744 | 79,160 | 323,666 | 57,999 | 2,137 | 12,767 |
| 2022 | 48,991 | 84,304 | 63,901 | 339,456 | 51,998 | 1,704 | 11,224 |
| 2021 | 47,952 | 78,322 | 61,019 | 345,133 | 46,227 | 1,374 | 10,375 |
| 2020 | 46,351 | 73,782 | 54,514 | 345,001 | 50,077 | 1,210 | 9,402 |
| 2019 | 44,750 | 69,241 | 48,008 | 344,869 | 53,927 | 1,047 | 8,428 |
| 2018 | 44,328 | 61,194 | 41,759 | 355,904 | 54,843 | 1,169 | 8,683 |
| 2017 | 41,841 | 61,816 | 36,406 | 331,541 | 54,454 | 1,228 | 10,328 |
| 2016 | 41,879 | 52,621 | 33,543 | 333,900 | 55,290 | 312 | 11,584 |
| 2015 | 37,624 | 50,511 | 35,138 | 336,337 | 70,767 | 604 | 11,270 |
| 2014 | 37,608 | 48,027 | 28,040 | 342,185 | 78,214 | 451 | 11,692 |
| 2013 | 31,836 | 45,601 | 28,747 | 351,842 | 76,707 | 486 | 9,827 |
| 2012 | 28,621 | 41,477 | 23,260 | 374,110 | 76,225 | 635 | 6,995 |
| 2011 | 27,427 | 42,224 | 24,723 | 379,409 | 68,055 | 307 | 6,480 |
| 2010 | 23,135 | 36,617 | 27,813 | 384,021 | 65,520 | 446 | 5,177 |
Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Aroostook
Fuel oil has become losing popularity in Aroostook. In the 7 years since 2018, the number of residents using fuel oil decreased from 355,904 to 298,426, a 16% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Aroostook
Between 2018 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose from 61,194 to 101,382, a 66% change. Comparing 2018 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 44,328 to 53,178, a 20% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Aroostook
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more prevalent in Aroostook. Since 2018, the number of homes heating with electricity jumped from 41,759 to 92,432, a 121% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Aroostook
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. Now, 3,526 homes in Aroostook are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 202% gain from 2018, when 1,169 homes used active solar heating.
Aroostook County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Aroostook County homeowners purchased a total of 3 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Aroostook’s overall oil use fluctuates annually correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ boilers need to burn additional fuel oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Aroostook was 24.4°F, which was 4.2°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Aroostook County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 24.4° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 28.6° F |
Aroostook County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Aroostook homeowners heating with number two heating oil, choosing which of the 5 heating oil companies that serve Aroostook is an important decision.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who want a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 7 “full-service” oil companies that serve Aroostook. Full service companies such as Daigle Oil Company or Daigle Oil Company offer families annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic oil delivery and heating system repair. With an automatic number two heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s fuel oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The household 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 homeowners who are on a budget. With discount oil companies, in return for better 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. Examples of 2 Aroostook cash heating oil companies serving Aroostook include DOC Daigle co and Dead River Company Llc.
Aroostook Oil Company Statistics: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Aroostook: 5 companies .
Average Number of Aroostook Houses Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 59685
Aroostook Heating Oil Delivery Overview
298,426 households in Aroostook heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Aroostook temperatures drop as low as 17.7° F each winter. 47.8% of Aroostook families depend on heating oil delivery each winter.
23.9% of Aroostook County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Aroostook County Households | Aroostook County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 1.2M | 298,426 |
23 Aroostook Fuel Oil Companies You Can Trust
With 246,945,991 gallons of number two heating oil delivered to Aroostook homeowners last winter, the Aroostook community depends on its 23 oil companies to keep warm throughout the winter. Oil delivery can be summed up in two steps: First, an oil truck picks up oil at the nearest bulk fuel terminal (also known as a “rack”). In the case of Aroostook, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Newington, NH and Sprague in So. Portland, ME. Then, the truck delivers the #2 heating oil to homes and businesses throughout Aroostook and the surrounding vicinity.
