Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Piscataquis Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homeowners have a variety of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Heating Oil is the most common choice in Piscataquis, used by 298,426 or 48% of homeowners. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Piscataquis residents is Propane, used by 101,382 homes (16%). The remaining homes are heated with Electricity (15%), Wood (10%), Natural Gas (9%), and Other (2%).
Piscataquis 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 Piscataquis
Heating oil has become less popular in Piscataquis. In the 12 years since 2013, the number of households using heating oil declined from 351,842 to 298,426, a 15% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Piscataquis
Between 2013 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 45,601 to 101,382, a 122% change. Comparing 2013 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel rose from 31,836 to 53,178, a 67% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Piscataquis
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more prevalent in Piscataquis. Since 2013, the number of homes heating with electricity jumped from 28,747 to 92,432, a 222% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Piscataquis
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. Currently, 3,526 homes in Piscataquis are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 626% gain from 2013, when 486 homes incorporated active solar heating.
Piscataquis County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Piscataquis County homeowners purchased a total of 969,034 gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Piscataquis’s overall oil consumption fluctuates yearly based on the severity of the winter. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ HVAC systems need to burn increasing amounts of number two heating oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Piscataquis was 24.4°F, which was 4.2°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Piscataquis County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 24.4° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 28.6° F |
Piscataquis County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Piscataquis families heating with heating oil, selecting which of the 2 heating oil companies that serve Piscataquis 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 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Piscataquis. Full service companies such as or offer homeowners annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and furnace 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 customer 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 families who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the number two heating 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 Piscataquis cash heating oil companies serving Piscataquis include Mckusick Petroleum Co Inc and A E Robinson Oil Company.
Piscataquis Heating Oil Company Statistics: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Piscataquis: 2 companies .
Average Number of Piscataquis Homes Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 149213
Piscataquis Heating Oil Delivery Overview
298,426 households in Piscataquis heat their homes with number two heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Piscataquis temperatures drop as low as 17.7° F each winter. 47.8% of Piscataquis households depend on heating oil delivery each winter.
23.9% of Piscataquis County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Piscataquis County Households | Piscataquis County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 1.2M | 298,426 |
2 Piscataquis Heating Oil Companies Homeowners Can Count On
With 246,945,991 gallons of heating oil delivered to Piscataquis households last winter, the Piscataquis community depends on its 2 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 Piscataquis, 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 Piscataquis and the surrounding vicinity.
