Homes have a host of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Heating Oil is the most common choice in Hancock, used by 298,426 or 48% of families. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Hancock households 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

Number two heating oil has become less popular in Hancock. In the 3 years since 2022, the number of families using number two heating oil fell from 339,456 to 298,426, a 12% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Hancock

Between 2022 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel increased from 84,304 to 101,382, a 20% change. Comparing 2022 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 48,991 to 53,178, a 9% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Hancock

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more prevalent in Hancock. Since 2022, the number of homes heating with electricity shot up from 63,901 to 92,432, a 45% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Hancock

Solar is the most environmentally friendly of all heating fuels. 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 107% gain from 2022, when 1,704 homes utilized 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 usage fluctuates from year to year primarily depending on how cold each winter is. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ HVAC systems need to burn more and more fuel oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. 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 families heating with oil, picking which of the 17 heating oil companies that serve Hancock plays a big role in determining how much money is spent on heating each winter.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who can afford 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 families annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and heating system repair. With an automatic number two heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s number two heating 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: also referred to as “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for customers who are looking to save money. 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 you're running low. A few of the 2 Hancock cash heating oil companies serving Hancock include Morin Fuel and Marquis Heating Inc.

Hancock Heating Oil Company Fast Facts: Heating oil Companies Serving Hancock: 17 companies .
Average Number of Hancock Houses Served per Heating Oil company : 17554

Hancock Heating Oil Delivery Overview

298,426 residences in Hancock heat their homes with number two heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Hancock temperatures drop as low as 17.7° F each winter. 47.8% of Hancock residences are reliant on fuel 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 Heating Oil Companies You Can Trust

With 246,945,991 gallons of heating oil delivered to Hancock families the last heating season, the Hancock community looks to its 99 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 Hancock, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Newington, NH and Sprague in So. Portland, ME. Then, the truck delivers the number two heating oil to homes and businesses throughout Hancock and the surrounding area.

Heating Oil Near You In These Adjacent Counties

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