Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Carroll Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Residences have a choice of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Heating Oil is the most popular choice in Carroll, used by 212,831 or 37% of households. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Carroll homeowners is Natural Gas, used by 124,974 homes (22%). The rest of the homes are heated with Propane (21%), Electricity (12%), Wood (6%), and Other (2%).
Carroll County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (No. of Households)
| Year | Natural Gas | Propane | Electricity | Oil | Wood | Solar | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 124,974 | 121,512 | 70,926 | 212,831 | 32,268 | 2,474 | 11,835 |
| 2024 | 126,691 | 116,162 | 68,090 | 211,416 | 29,746 | 2,147 | 11,751 |
| 2023 | 118,533 | 112,909 | 64,436 | 221,554 | 35,424 | 1,544 | 10,170 |
| 2022 | 121,267 | 103,967 | 61,455 | 223,612 | 30,964 | 909 | 10,992 |
| 2021 | 121,966 | 102,208 | 58,765 | 218,724 | 30,381 | 890 | 10,002 |
| 2020 | 118,607 | 98,116 | 56,313 | 223,224 | 32,446 | 761 | 9,755 |
| 2019 | 115,248 | 94,024 | 53,861 | 227,725 | 34,512 | 632 | 9,508 |
| 2018 | 113,986 | 86,695 | 50,260 | 232,152 | 35,632 | 411 | 8,224 |
| 2017 | 111,070 | 90,341 | 47,927 | 227,681 | 37,912 | 575 | 8,850 |
| 2016 | 110,428 | 81,949 | 48,677 | 229,187 | 35,047 | 666 | 9,880 |
| 2015 | 103,292 | 78,670 | 46,002 | 232,674 | 42,472 | 488 | 10,268 |
| 2014 | 100,601 | 76,212 | 46,268 | 230,361 | 49,555 | 275 | 10,068 |
| 2013 | 101,529 | 76,485 | 42,038 | 239,542 | 44,711 | 334 | 9,251 |
| 2012 | 104,858 | 72,091 | 39,257 | 245,324 | 43,948 | 593 | 7,870 |
| 2011 | 100,958 | 74,416 | 40,613 | 252,159 | 37,084 | 280 | 7,019 |
| 2010 | 100,857 | 70,863 | 41,909 | 253,772 | 40,272 | 85 | 4,752 |
Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Carroll
Heating oil has become less frequently used in Carroll. In the 9 years since 2016, the number of households using fuel oil dipped from 229,187 to 212,831, a 7% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Carroll
Between 2016 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 81,949 to 121,512, a 48% change. Comparing 2016 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel grew from 110,428 to 124,974, a 13% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Carroll
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Carroll. Since 2016, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 48,677 to 70,926, a 46% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Carroll
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. Today, 2,474 homes in Carroll are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 271% gain from 2016, when 666 homes incorporated active solar heating.
Carroll County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Carroll County homeowners purchased a total of 4 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Carroll’s overall oil consumption fluctuates each year based on the severity of the winter. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ boilers need to burn more and more oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Carroll was 24.1°F, which was 5.3°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Carroll County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 24.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 29.4° F |
Carroll County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Carroll homeowners heating with oil, choosing which of the 5 heating oil companies that serve Carroll is an important decision.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who can afford a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 6 “full-service” oil companies that serve Carroll. Full service companies such as Dutile & Sons Oil Company Inc or Dutile & Sons Oil Company Inc offer families annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating oil delivery and furnace repair. With an automatic 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 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 homeowners who are on a budget. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the fuel oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. Examples of 2 Carroll cash heating oil companies serving Carroll include White Mountain Oil & Propane Co and 603 Oil Co.
Carroll Fuel Oil Company By The Numbers: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Carroll: 5 companies .
Average Number of Carroll Households Served per Fuel Oil company : 42566
Carroll Heating Oil Delivery Overview
212,831 families in Carroll heat their homes with heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Carroll temperatures drop as low as 16.9° F each winter. 36.9% of Carroll households depend on oil delivery each winter.
18.4% of Carroll County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Carroll County Households | Carroll County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 1.1M | 212,831 |
23 Carroll Fuel Oil Companies Serving The Community
With 199,461,865 gallons of heating oil delivered to Carroll households the last heating season, the Carroll community relies on its 23 oil companies to keep warm throughout the winter. 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 Carroll, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Newington, NH and Gulf in Chelsea, MA. Then, the truck delivers the fuel oil to residences and companies throughout Carroll and the surrounding region.
