Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Sullivan Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homeowners have a choice of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Heating Oil is the preferred choice in Sullivan, used by 212,831 or 37% of families. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Sullivan 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%).
Sullivan 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 Sullivan
Number two heating oil has become losing popularity in Sullivan. In the 11 years since 2014, the number of residents using oil decreased from 230,361 to 212,831, a 8% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Sullivan
Between 2014 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose from 76,212 to 121,512, a 59% change. Comparing 2014 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 100,601 to 124,974, a 24% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Sullivan
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are increasing in demand in Sullivan. Since 2014, the number of homes heating with electricity grew from 46,268 to 70,926, a 53% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Sullivan
Solar is the most environmentally friendly of all heating fuels. 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 Sullivan are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 800% gain from 2014, when 275 homes used 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 oil consumption varies each year as winter conditions change. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ heating systems need to burn increasing amounts of heating oil to keep the house warm inside. 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 homeowners heating with fuel oil, choosing which of the 4 heating oil companies that serve Sullivan 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 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 households annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic oil delivery and heating system 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 household 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 homeowners who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the fuel oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. Examples of 2 Sullivan cash heating oil companies serving Sullivan include RE Hinkley Co Inc and Welch Fuel Company.
Sullivan Number Two Heating Oil Company Fast Facts: Oil Companies Serving Sullivan: 4 companies .
Average Number of Sullivan Homes Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 53208
Sullivan Heating Oil Delivery Overview
212,831 families in Sullivan heat their homes with heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Sullivan temperatures drop as low as 16.9° F each winter. 36.9% of Sullivan homes depend on 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 Heating Oil Companies You Can Bank On
With 199,461,865 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Sullivan households during this past winter, the Sullivan community looks to its 25 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. 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 oil to homes and businesses throughout Sullivan and the surrounding vicinity.
