Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Carroll Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Households have a choice of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Heating Oil is the preferred choice in Carroll, used by 212,831 or 37% of homeowners. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Carroll households is Natural Gas, used by 124,974 homes (22%). The other 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
Oil has become less frequently used in Carroll. In the 9 years since 2016, the number of homeowners using heating 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 jumped 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 increased 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 increased from 48,677 to 70,926, a 46% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Carroll
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. Today, 2,474 homes in Carroll are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 271% gain from 2016, when 666 homes utilized 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 heating oil usage fluctuates yearly as winter conditions change. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ furnaces need to burn increasing amounts of fuel oil to keep the house warm inside. 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 homes heating with fuel oil, picking which of the 5 heating oil companies that serve Carroll is an important decision.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who value a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick 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 clients annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic oil delivery and furnace repair. With an automatic oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s fuel 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 clients who are looking to save money. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the fuel oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order either when the level runs low or just before a major snowstorm. Examples of 2 Carroll cash heating oil companies serving Carroll include White Mountain Oil & Propane Co and 603 Oil Co.
Carroll Number Two Heating Oil Company Fast Facts: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Carroll: 5 companies .
Average Number of Carroll Homes Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 42566
Carroll Heating Oil Delivery Overview
212,831 families in Carroll heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Carroll temperatures drop as low as 16.9° F each winter. 36.9% of Carroll homes rely 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 Number Two Heating Oil Companies Go The Distance
With 199,461,865 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Carroll houses last winter, the Carroll community looks to its 23 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. 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 homes and businesses throughout Carroll and the surrounding vicinity.
