Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Waldo Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Households have a host of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Heating Oil is the most common choice in Waldo, used by 298,426 or 48% of homeowners. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Waldo 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%).
Waldo 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 Waldo
Oil has become losing popularity in Waldo. In the 5 years since 2020, the number of households using number two heating oil dipped from 345,001 to 298,426, a 13% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Waldo
Between 2020 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel increased from 73,782 to 101,382, a 37% change. Comparing 2020 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel rose from 46,351 to 53,178, a 15% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Waldo
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Waldo. Since 2020, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 54,514 to 92,432, a 70% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Waldo
The most eco-friendly heating option is solar. 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 Waldo are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 191% gain from 2020, when 1,210 homes incorporated active solar heating.
Waldo County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Waldo County homeowners purchased a total of 5 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Waldo’s overall heating oil consumption fluctuates from year to year based on the severity of the winter. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ furnaces need to burn increasing amounts of number two heating oil to keep the house warm inside. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Waldo was 24.4°F, which was 4.2°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Waldo County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 24.4° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 28.6° F |
Waldo County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Waldo families heating with number two heating oil, selecting which of the 14 heating oil companies that serve Waldo plays a big role in determining how much money is spent on heating each winter.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 18 “full-service” oil companies that serve Waldo. Full service companies such as Gary's Fuel Oil Co Inc or Tidewater Oil offer customers annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating 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 customer 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 households 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 either when the level runs low or just before a major snowstorm. A few of the 2 Waldo cash heating oil companies serving Waldo include Waldo Country Oil & Propane and Valley Home Heating LLC.
Waldo Fuel Oil Company By The Numbers: Fuel oil Companies Serving Waldo: 14 companies .
Average Number of Waldo Households Served per Fuel Oil company : 21316
Waldo Heating Oil Delivery Overview
298,426 households in Waldo heat their homes with fuel oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Waldo temperatures drop as low as 17.7° F each winter. 47.8% of Waldo homes rely on fuel oil delivery each winter.
23.9% of Waldo County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Waldo County Households | Waldo County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 1.2M | 298,426 |
49 Waldo Fuel Oil Companies Homeowners Can Count On
With 246,945,991 gallons of oil delivered to Waldo homeowners during this past winter, the Waldo community looks to its 49 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. Oil delivery has two parts to it: First, an oil truck picks up oil at the nearest bulk fuel terminal (also known as a “rack”). In the case of Waldo, 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 Waldo and the surrounding region.
