Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Coos Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Families have a host of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Heating Oil is the most popular choice in Coos, used by 212,831 or 37% of residents. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Coos homeowners is Natural Gas, used by 124,974 homes (22%). The remaining homes are heated with Propane (21%), Electricity (12%), Wood (6%), and Other (2%).
Coos County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (in Number 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 Coos
Fuel oil has become more popular in Coos. In the 1 years since 2024, the number of households using fuel oil grew from 211,416 to 212,831, a 1% gain.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Coos
Between 2024 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 116,162 to 121,512, a 5% change. Comparing 2024 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel decreased from 126,691 to 124,974, a 1% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Coos
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Coos. Since 2024, the number of homes heating with electricity increased from 68,090 to 70,926, a 4% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Coos
Out of all fuels, solar is the safest for the environment. 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, 2,474 homes in Coos are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 15% gain from 2024, when 2,147 homes utilized active solar heating.
Coos County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Coos County homeowners purchased a total of 2 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Coos’s overall number two heating oil consumption fluctuates each year as winter conditions change. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ heating systems need to burn more and more fuel oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Coos was 24.1°F, which was 5.3°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Coos County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 24.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 29.4° F |
Coos County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Coos homeowners heating with oil, picking which of the 4 heating oil companies that serve Coos 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 pick one of the 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Coos. Full service companies such as or offer households annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and furnace repair. With an automatic fuel 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: Also known by the names “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for clients who are looking to save money. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the 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 Coos cash heating oil companies serving Coos include Fitch Fuel Co Inc and Kmj Precision Fuels Inc.
Coos Oil Company By The Numbers: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Coos: 4 companies .
Average Number of Coos Houses Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 53208
Coos Heating Oil Delivery Overview
212,831 households in Coos heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Coos temperatures drop as low as 16.9° F each winter. 36.9% of Coos families rely on oil delivery each winter.
18.4% of Coos County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Coos County Households | Coos County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 1.1M | 212,831 |
14 Coos Oil Companies Serving The Community
With 199,461,865 gallons of oil delivered to Coos families the last heating season, the Coos community looks to its 14 oil companies to keep warm throughout the winter. 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 Coos, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Newington, NH and Gulf in Chelsea, MA. Then, the truck delivers the number two heating oil to residences and companies throughout Coos and the surrounding vicinity.
