Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Aroostook Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homes have a variety of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Heating Oil is the preferred choice in Aroostook, used by 298,426 or 48% of families. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Aroostook homeowners is Propane, used by 101,382 homes (16%). The remaining homes are heated with Electricity (15%), Wood (10%), Natural Gas (9%), and Other (2%).
Aroostook County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (No. 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 less popular in Aroostook. In the 1 years since 2024, the number of residents using heating oil dipped from 309,159 to 298,426, a 3% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Aroostook
Between 2024 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 98,171 to 101,382, a 3% change. Comparing 2024 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel rose from 51,248 to 53,178, a 4% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Aroostook
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are increasing in demand in Aroostook. Since 2024, the number of homes heating with electricity ramped up from 83,361 to 92,432, a 11% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Aroostook
Out of all fuels, solar is the safest for the environment. 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 12% gain from 2024, when 3,144 homes incorporated 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 heating oil usage changes from year to year based on the severity of the winter. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ furnaces need to burn additional number two heating oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. 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 families heating with oil, choosing which of the 5 heating oil companies that serve Aroostook can drastically impact the cost of home heating.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who want a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 7 “full-service” oil companies that serve Aroostook. Full service companies such as Daigle Oil Company or Daigle Oil Company offer customers annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic oil delivery and boiler 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: Often called “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for clients who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. A few of the 2 Aroostook cash heating oil companies serving Aroostook include DOC Daigle co and Dead River Company Llc.
Aroostook Oil Company Fast Facts: 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 fuel 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 Go The Distance
With 246,945,991 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Aroostook residences during this past winter, the Aroostook community relies on its 23 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. 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 oil to residences and companies throughout Aroostook and the surrounding vicinity.
