Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Coos Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Residences have a host of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Heating Oil is the most common choice in Coos, used by 212,831 or 37% of residents. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Coos families 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 (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 Coos
Oil has become decreasing in demand in Coos. In the 12 years since 2013, the number of homeowners using number two heating oil declined from 239,542 to 212,831, a 11% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Coos
Between 2013 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel grew from 76,485 to 121,512, a 59% change. Comparing 2013 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 101,529 to 124,974, a 23% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Coos
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Coos. Since 2013, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 42,038 to 70,926, a 69% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Coos
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. Today, 2,474 homes in Coos are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 641% gain from 2013, when 334 homes incorporated 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 oil use changes annually based on the severity of the winter. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ furnaces need to burn additional oil to keep the house warm inside. 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 homes heating with number two heating oil, picking which of the 4 heating oil companies that serve Coos can drastically impact the cost of home heating.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose 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 number two heating oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s 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: also referred to as “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for homeowners who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the heating oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when you're running low. Some of the 2 Coos cash heating oil companies serving Coos include Fitch Fuel Co Inc and Kmj Precision Fuels Inc.
Coos Number Two Heating Oil Company Fast Facts: 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 families in Coos heat their homes with heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Coos temperatures drop as low as 16.9° F each winter. 36.9% of Coos households depend on number two heating 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 Heating Oil Companies Homeowners Can Count On
With 199,461,865 gallons of heating oil delivered to Coos households during this past winter, the Coos community depends on its 14 oil companies when temperatures dip. 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 Coos, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Newington, NH and Gulf in Chelsea, MA. Then, the truck delivers the #2 heating oil to residences and companies throughout Coos and the surrounding region.
