Families have a host of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most popular choice in Bergen, used by 2,627,206 or 74% of households. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Bergen families is Electricity, used by 617,773 homes (17%). The rest of the homes are heated with Heating Oil (5%), Propane (2%), Other (0.4%), and Solar (0.3%).

Bergen County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (in Number of Households)

Year	Natural Gas	Propane	Electricity	Oil	Wood	Solar	Other
2025	2,627,206	70,406	617,773	185,324	10,688	11,798	14,006
2024	2,623,428	66,233	592,186	198,050	10,223	10,926	13,381
2023	2,552,593	95,605	606,537	215,314	10,749	9,388	20,755
2022	2,560,329	89,511	568,299	231,690	10,054	7,925	17,145
2021	2,545,038	87,258	555,363	240,765	9,820	7,643	19,506
2020	2,509,666	79,338	501,738	241,254	10,094	6,464	16,414
2019	2,474,295	71,419	448,114	241,742	10,368	5,284	13,323
2018	2,435,183	67,930	437,888	258,889	12,069	4,626	14,313
2017	2,425,008	62,490	415,119	271,265	11,994	4,801	12,938
2016	2,389,530	59,916	423,650	271,179	13,466	3,212	14,924
2015	2,398,744	61,082	385,792	299,222	14,398	1,781	12,721
2014	2,393,423	62,396	384,329	309,236	14,471	1,748	13,957
2013	2,354,824	60,943	388,226	329,733	17,421	1,270	10,710
2012	2,368,222	60,990	377,997	356,378	13,974	1,002	10,889
2011	2,342,608	58,315	360,855	376,568	11,869	332	7,917
2010	2,344,455	63,241	343,112	392,540	11,886	325	8,439

Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Bergen

Number two heating oil has become less popular in Bergen. In the 7 years since 2018, the number of families using number two heating oil decreased from 258,889 to 185,324, a 28% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Bergen

Between 2018 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel increased from 67,930 to 70,406, a 4% change. Comparing 2018 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 2,435,183 to 2,627,206, a 8% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Bergen

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Bergen. Since 2018, the number of homes heating with electricity shot up from 437,888 to 617,773, a 41% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Bergen

The most eco-friendly heating option is solar. 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. Currently, 11,798 homes in Bergen are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 155% gain from 2018, when 4,626 homes incorporated active solar heating.

Bergen County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Bergen County homeowners purchased a total of 9 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Bergen’s overall fuel oil usage changes each year depending on winter temperatures. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ boilers need to burn additional number two heating oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Bergen was 33.5°F, which was 4.7°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Bergen County Average Winter Temperature

Heating Season	Average Temperature
2024 - 2025	33.5° F
2023 - 2024	38.2° F

Bergen County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Bergen homeowners heating with number two heating oil, picking which of the 22 heating oil companies that serve Bergen is an important decision.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who want a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 3 “full-service” oil companies that serve Bergen. Full service companies such as Advantage Oil or Advantage Oil offer clients annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic heating oil delivery and boiler repair. With an automatic oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s number two 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 customers 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 the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. Examples of 2 Bergen cash heating oil companies serving Bergen include Deinrich Fuel Oil Inc and National Fuel Oil Inc.

Bergen Number Two Heating Oil Company Fast Facts: Heating oil Companies Serving Bergen: 22 companies .
Average Number of Bergen Houses Served per Fuel Oil company : 8424

Bergen Heating Oil Delivery Overview

185,324 households in Bergen heat their homes with fuel oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Bergen temperatures drop as low as 28.8° F each winter. 5.2% of Bergen households depend on number two heating oil delivery each winter.

2.6% of Bergen County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter

Bergen County Households	Bergen County Heating Oil Households
7.1M	185,324

743 Bergen Fuel Oil Companies Go The Distance

With 169,797,916 gallons of heating oil delivered to Bergen households during this past winter, the Bergen community looks to its 743 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 Bergen, two of the closest terminals are Sunoco in Linden, NJ and Sunoco in Linden, NJ. Then, the truck delivers the #2 heating oil to residences and companies throughout Bergen and the surrounding vicinity.

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