Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Rockingham Home Heating Fuel Comparison

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

Rockingham 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 Rockingham

Fuel oil has become less frequently used in Rockingham. In the 4 years since 2021, the number of residents using fuel oil fell from 218,724 to 212,831, a 3% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Rockingham

Between 2021 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 102,208 to 121,512, a 19% change. Comparing 2021 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel grew from 121,966 to 124,974, a 2% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Rockingham

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Rockingham. Since 2021, the number of homes heating with electricity increased from 58,765 to 70,926, a 21% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Rockingham

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. Currently, 2,474 homes in Rockingham are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 178% gain from 2021, when 890 homes incorporated active solar heating.

Rockingham County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Rockingham County homeowners purchased a total of 52 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Rockingham’s overall heating oil usage fluctuates each year correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ heating systems need to burn more and more fuel oil to keep the house warm inside. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Rockingham was 24.1°F, which was 5.3°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Rockingham County Average Winter Temperature

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

Rockingham County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Rockingham families heating with heating oil, choosing which of the 62 heating oil companies that serve Rockingham plays a big role in determining how much money is spent on heating each winter.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 119 “full-service” oil companies that serve Rockingham. Full service companies such as NiBROC Oil or Palmer Gas Co Inc offer clients annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating oil delivery and boiler repair. With an automatic oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s fuel 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 clients who are budget-conscious. 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 when the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. Some of the 2 Rockingham cash heating oil companies serving Rockingham include Rockingham Oil LLC and Chapman Fuel.

Rockingham Heating Oil Company Fast Facts: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Rockingham: 62 companies .
Average Number of Rockingham Homes Served per Heating Oil company : 3433

Rockingham Heating Oil Delivery Overview

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

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

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

987 Rockingham Number Two Heating Oil Companies Homeowners Can Count On

With 199,461,865 gallons of oil delivered to Rockingham homeowners last winter, the Rockingham community depends on its 987 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 Rockingham, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Newington, NH and Gulf in Chelsea, MA. Then, the truck delivers the fuel oil to homes and businesses throughout Rockingham and the surrounding region.