Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Hancock Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Residences have a host of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Heating Oil is the preferred choice in Hancock, used by 298,426 or 48% of residents. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Hancock 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%).
Hancock 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 Hancock
Fuel oil has become decreasing in demand in Hancock. In the 13 years since 2012, the number of families using fuel oil fell from 374,110 to 298,426, a 20% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Hancock
Between 2012 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 41,477 to 101,382, a 144% change. Comparing 2012 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 28,621 to 53,178, a 86% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Hancock
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more prevalent in Hancock. Since 2012, the number of homes heating with electricity grew from 23,260 to 92,432, a 297% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Hancock
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. Currently, 3,526 homes in Hancock are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 455% gain from 2012, when 635 homes had active solar heating.
Hancock County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Hancock County homeowners purchased a total of 9 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Hancock’s overall heating oil consumption changes each year based on the severity of the winter. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ HVAC systems need to burn additional heating oil to keep the house warm inside. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Hancock was 24.4°F, which was 4.2°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Hancock County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 24.4° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 28.6° F |
Hancock County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Hancock households heating with heating oil, choosing which of the 17 heating oil companies that serve Hancock can drastically impact the cost of home heating.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who want a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 8 “full-service” oil companies that serve Hancock. Full service companies such as Gary's Fuel Oil Co Inc or Gary's Fuel Oil Co Inc offer homeowners annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating oil delivery and boiler repair. With an automatic number two heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s 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: Also known by the names “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for homeowners who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when you're running low. Examples of 2 Hancock cash heating oil companies serving Hancock include Morin Fuel and Marquis Heating Inc.
Hancock Fuel Oil Company Fast Facts: Oil Companies Serving Hancock: 17 companies .
Average Number of Hancock Homes Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 17554
Hancock Heating Oil Delivery Overview
298,426 houses in Hancock heat their homes with fuel oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Hancock temperatures drop as low as 17.7° F each winter. 47.8% of Hancock homes are reliant on heating oil delivery each winter.
23.9% of Hancock County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Hancock County Households | Hancock County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 1.2M | 298,426 |
99 Hancock Fuel Oil Companies You Can Trust
With 246,945,991 gallons of heating oil delivered to Hancock families during this past winter, the Hancock community depends on its 99 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. 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 Hancock, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Newington, NH and Sprague in So. Portland, ME. Then, the truck delivers the oil to homes and businesses throughout Hancock and the surrounding area.
