Residences have a choice of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Heating Oil is the most popular choice in Merrimack, used by 212,831 or 37% of families. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Merrimack households 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 (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 Merrimack

Oil has become decreasing in demand in Merrimack. In the 8 years since 2017, the number of families using oil declined from 227,681 to 212,831, a 7% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Merrimack

Between 2017 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel grew 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 rose from 111,070 to 124,974, a 13% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Merrimack

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are increasing in demand in Merrimack. 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 Merrimack

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. Now, 2,474 homes in Merrimack are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 330% gain from 2017, when 575 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 oil consumption fluctuates annually primarily depending on how cold each winter is. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ heating systems need to burn additional 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 homeowners heating with oil, selecting which of the 36 heating oil companies that serve Merrimack plays a big role in determining how much money is spent on heating each winter.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who can afford a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick 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 clients annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and furnace repair. With an automatic number two heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s number two heating 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 families who are on a budget. 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. A few of the 2 Merrimack cash heating oil companies serving Merrimack include Huckleberry Propane & Oil Llc and Clough Inc H R.

Merrimack Heating Oil Company Statistics: Oil Companies Serving Merrimack: 36 companies .
Average Number of Merrimack Houses Served per 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 homes are reliant on 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 Heating Oil Companies Go The Distance

With 199,461,865 gallons of heating oil delivered to Merrimack households the last heating season, the Merrimack community looks to 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 number two heating oil to homes and businesses throughout Merrimack and the surrounding region.

Heating Oil Near You In These Adjacent Counties

Hillsborough County, NH

Rockingham County, NH

Strafford County, NH

Sullivan County, NH