Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Coos Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homeowners have a choice 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 rest of the 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
Heating oil has become decreasing in demand in Coos. In the 5 years since 2020, the number of homeowners using number two heating oil decreased from 223,224 to 212,831, a 5% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Coos
Between 2020 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 98,116 to 121,512, a 24% change. Comparing 2020 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel increased from 118,607 to 124,974, a 5% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Coos
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Coos. Since 2020, the number of homes heating with electricity grew from 56,313 to 70,926, a 26% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Coos
Solar is the most environmentally friendly of all heating fuels. 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. As it stands today, 2,474 homes in Coos are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 225% gain from 2020, when 761 homes had 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 heating oil use fluctuates annually as winter conditions change. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ heating systems need to burn more and more number two heating oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. 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 number two heating oil, selecting which of the 4 heating oil companies that serve Coos makes a big difference.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who can afford 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 customers annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic heating oil delivery and furnace repair. With an automatic 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: also referred to as “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for households who are on a budget. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the number two heating 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 Coos cash heating oil companies serving Coos include Fitch Fuel Co Inc and Kmj Precision Fuels Inc.
Coos Oil Company Fast Facts: Heating oil Companies Serving Coos: 4 companies .
Average Number of Coos Homes Served per Heating Oil company : 53208
Coos Heating Oil Delivery Overview
212,831 homes in Coos heat their homes with number two heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Coos temperatures drop as low as 16.9° F each winter. 36.9% of Coos houses are reliant on fuel 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 Number Two Heating Oil Companies You Can Bank On
With 199,461,865 gallons of oil delivered to Coos families the last heating season, the Coos community depends on 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.
