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

Strafford 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 Strafford

Oil has become less frequently used in Strafford. In the 3 years since 2022, the number of homeowners using oil declined from 223,612 to 212,831, a 5% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Strafford

Between 2022 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel grew from 103,967 to 121,512, a 17% change. Comparing 2022 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel increased from 121,267 to 124,974, a 3% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Strafford

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Strafford. Since 2022, the number of homes heating with electricity ramped up from 61,455 to 70,926, a 15% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Strafford

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. As it stands today, 2,474 homes in Strafford are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 172% gain from 2022, when 909 homes incorporated active solar heating.

Strafford County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Strafford County homeowners purchased a total of 20 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Strafford’s overall oil consumption varies annually as winter conditions change. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ furnaces need to burn increasing amounts of heating oil to keep the house warm inside. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Strafford was 24.1°F, which was 5.3°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Strafford County Average Winter Temperature

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

Strafford County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Strafford families heating with number two heating oil, picking which of the 23 heating oil companies that serve Strafford makes a big difference.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who value a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 4 “full-service” oil companies that serve Strafford. Full service companies such as NiBROC Oil or NiBROC Oil offer customers 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 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 known by the names “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 oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order either when the level runs low or just before a major snowstorm. A few of the 2 Strafford cash heating oil companies serving Strafford include Eastern and Local Pride Heating Oil.

Strafford Oil Company Statistics: Fuel oil Companies Serving Strafford: 23 companies .
Average Number of Strafford Homes Served per Heating Oil company : 9254

Strafford Heating Oil Delivery Overview

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

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

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

168 Strafford Number Two Heating Oil Companies Serving The Community

With 199,461,865 gallons of number two heating oil delivered to Strafford homeowners last winter, the Strafford community looks to its 168 oil companies when temperatures dip. 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 Strafford, 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 Strafford and the surrounding vicinity.

Heating Oil Near You In These Adjacent Counties

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