Families have a host of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Heating Oil is the most common choice in Grafton, used by 212,831 or 37% of families. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Grafton homeowners is Natural Gas, used by 124,974 homes (22%). The other homes are heated with Propane (21%), Electricity (12%), Wood (6%), and Other (2%).

Grafton 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 Grafton

Heating oil has become less popular in Grafton. In the 8 years since 2017, the number of families using fuel oil dipped from 227,681 to 212,831, a 7% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Grafton

Between 2017 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 90,341 to 121,512, a 35% change. Comparing 2017 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 111,070 to 124,974, a 13% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Grafton

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Grafton. Since 2017, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 47,927 to 70,926, a 48% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Grafton

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. Now, 2,474 homes in Grafton are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 330% gain from 2017, when 575 homes had active solar heating.

Grafton County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Grafton County homeowners purchased a total of 7 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Grafton’s overall fuel oil usage fluctuates yearly as winter conditions change. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ HVAC systems need to burn increasing amounts of number two heating oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Grafton was 24.1°F, which was 5.3°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Grafton County Average Winter Temperature

Heating Season	Average Temperature
2024 - 2025	24.1° F
2023 - 2024	29.4° F

Grafton County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Grafton residences heating with heating oil, choosing which of the 13 heating oil companies that serve Grafton makes a big difference.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who are willing to pay a premium for a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 4 “full-service” oil companies that serve Grafton. Full service companies such as Goodrich Oil & Propane Co or Dutile & Sons Oil Company Inc offer customers annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic number two heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s 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 customers who are budget-conscious. 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 Grafton cash heating oil companies serving Grafton include Kmj Precision Fuels Inc and Presby Energy Inc.

Grafton Oil Company Fast Facts: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Grafton: 13 companies .
Average Number of Grafton Households Served per Heating Oil company : 16372

Grafton Heating Oil Delivery Overview

212,831 homes in Grafton heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Grafton temperatures drop as low as 16.9° F each winter. 36.9% of Grafton households are reliant on heating oil delivery each winter.

18.4% of Grafton County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter

Grafton County Households	Grafton County Heating Oil Households
1.1M	212,831

41 Grafton Number Two Heating Oil Companies Serving The Community

With 199,461,865 gallons of heating oil delivered to Grafton houses the last heating season, the Grafton community depends on its 41 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. Oil delivery is a two step process: First, an oil truck picks up oil at the nearest bulk fuel terminal (also known as a “rack”). In the case of Grafton, 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 Grafton and the surrounding region.

Heating Oil Near You In These Adjacent Counties

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