Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Sullivan Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Households have a host of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Heating Oil is the most common choice in Sullivan, used by 212,831 or 37% of homeowners. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Sullivan 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%).
Sullivan 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 Sullivan
Number two heating oil has become less frequently used in Sullivan. In the 9 years since 2016, the number of families using number two heating oil declined from 229,187 to 212,831, a 7% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Sullivan
Between 2016 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel grew from 81,949 to 121,512, a 48% change. Comparing 2016 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 110,428 to 124,974, a 13% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Sullivan
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more prevalent in Sullivan. Since 2016, the number of homes heating with electricity ramped up from 48,677 to 70,926, a 46% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Sullivan
Out of all fuels, solar is the safest for the environment. 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 Sullivan are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 271% gain from 2016, when 666 homes had active solar heating.
Sullivan County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Sullivan County homeowners purchased a total of 5 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Sullivan’s overall number two heating oil usage fluctuates annually primarily depending on how cold each winter is. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ HVAC systems need to burn increasing amounts of oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Sullivan was 24.1°F, which was 5.3°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Sullivan County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 24.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 29.4° F |
Sullivan County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Sullivan homes heating with number two heating oil, choosing which of the 4 heating oil companies that serve Sullivan is an important decision.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 7 “full-service” oil companies that serve Sullivan. 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 HVAC 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 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 homeowners 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 when you're running low. A few of the 2 Sullivan cash heating oil companies serving Sullivan include RE Hinkley Co Inc and Welch Fuel Company.
Sullivan Oil Company Fast Facts: Oil Companies Serving Sullivan: 4 companies .
Average Number of Sullivan Households Served per Fuel Oil company : 53208
Sullivan Heating Oil Delivery Overview
212,831 houses in Sullivan heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Sullivan temperatures drop as low as 16.9° F each winter. 36.9% of Sullivan houses are reliant on number two heating oil delivery each winter.
18.4% of Sullivan County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Sullivan County Households | Sullivan County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 1.1M | 212,831 |
25 Sullivan Number Two Heating Oil Companies Homeowners Can Count On
With 199,461,865 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Sullivan homes during this past winter, the Sullivan community relies on its 25 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 Sullivan, 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 Sullivan and the surrounding region.
