Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Cumberland Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Families have a host of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Cumberland, used by 2,627,206 or 74% of residents. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Cumberland families is Electricity, used by 617,773 homes (17%). The other homes are heated with Heating Oil (5%), Propane (2%), Other (0.4%), and Solar (0.3%).
Cumberland County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (No. 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 Cumberland
Number two heating oil has become decreasing in demand in Cumberland. In the 5 years since 2020, the number of homeowners using heating oil dipped from 241,254 to 185,324, a 23% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Cumberland
Between 2020 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel dipped from 79,338 to 70,406, a 11% change. Comparing 2020 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 2,509,666 to 2,627,206, a 5% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Cumberland
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are increasing in demand in Cumberland. Since 2020, the number of homes heating with electricity shot up from 501,738 to 617,773, a 23% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Cumberland
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. Now, 11,798 homes in Cumberland are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 83% gain from 2020, when 6,464 homes incorporated active solar heating.
Cumberland County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Cumberland County homeowners purchased a total of 2 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Cumberland’s overall heating oil usage fluctuates from year to year correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ furnaces need to burn increasing amounts of oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Cumberland was 33.5°F, which was 4.7°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Cumberland County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 33.5° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 38.2° F |
Cumberland County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Cumberland homeowners heating with fuel oil, picking which of the 2 heating oil companies that serve Cumberland plays a big role in determining how much money is spent on heating each winter.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who want a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Cumberland. Full service companies such as or offer households 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 family does not need to monitor the level of the oil tank or place individual orders.
Discount Oil Companies: Often called “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 either when the level runs low or just before a major snowstorm. Examples of 2 Cumberland cash heating oil companies serving Cumberland include Bottom Dollar Heating Oil and Pedroni Fuel Co.
Cumberland Fuel Oil Company Statistics: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Cumberland: 2 companies .
Average Number of Cumberland Houses Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 92662
Cumberland Heating Oil Delivery Overview
185,324 houses in Cumberland heat their homes with heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Cumberland temperatures drop as low as 28.8° F each winter. 5.2% of Cumberland households are reliant on heating oil delivery each winter.
2.6% of Cumberland County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Cumberland County Households | Cumberland County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 7.1M | 185,324 |
2 Cumberland Fuel Oil Companies Homeowners Can Count On
With 169,797,916 gallons of number two heating oil delivered to Cumberland households the last heating season, the Cumberland community relies on its 2 oil companies to keep warm throughout the winter. 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 Cumberland, two of the closest terminals are Sunoco in Linden, NJ and Sunoco in Linden, NJ. Then, the truck delivers the number two heating oil to homes and businesses throughout Cumberland and the surrounding region.
