Households have a choice of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Heating Oil is the most common choice in Merrimack, used by 212,831 or 37% of households. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Merrimack 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%).

Merrimack 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 Merrimack

Fuel oil has become less popular in Merrimack. In the 7 years since 2018, the number of families using fuel oil dropped from 232,152 to 212,831, a 8% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Merrimack

Between 2018 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose from 86,695 to 121,512, a 40% change. Comparing 2018 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel increased from 113,986 to 124,974, a 10% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Merrimack

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Merrimack. Since 2018, the number of homes heating with electricity ramped up from 50,260 to 70,926, a 41% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Merrimack

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. Now, 2,474 homes in Merrimack are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 502% gain from 2018, when 411 homes had active solar heating.

Merrimack County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Merrimack County homeowners purchased a total of 18 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Merrimack’s overall number two heating oil consumption fluctuates from year to year based on the severity of the winter. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ heating 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 Merrimack was 24.1°F, which was 5.3°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Merrimack County Average Winter Temperature

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

Merrimack County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Merrimack residences heating with oil, selecting which of the 36 heating oil companies that serve Merrimack can drastically impact the cost of home heating.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who want a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 14 “full-service” oil companies that serve Merrimack. Full service companies such as Goodrich Oil & Propane Co or Goodrich Oil & Propane Co offer families annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating oil delivery and furnace repair. With an automatic oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s heating oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The client 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 return for better prices, you monitor the number two heating oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when you're running low. Some of the 2 Merrimack cash heating oil companies serving Merrimack include Huckleberry Propane & Oil Llc and Clough Inc H R.

Merrimack Oil Company Fast Facts: Fuel oil Companies Serving Merrimack: 36 companies .
Average Number of Merrimack Homes Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 5912

Merrimack Heating Oil Delivery Overview

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

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

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

235 Merrimack Number Two Heating Oil Companies Homeowners Can Count On

With 199,461,865 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Merrimack homes last winter, the Merrimack community depends on its 235 oil companies when temperatures dip. 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 Merrimack, 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 Merrimack and the surrounding area.

Heating Oil Near You In These Adjacent Counties

Hillsborough County, NH

Rockingham County, NH

Strafford County, NH

Sullivan County, NH