Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Cumberland Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homes have a host of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common 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 rest of the homes are heated with Heating Oil (5%), Propane (2%), Other (0.4%), and Solar (0.3%).
Cumberland 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 Cumberland
Number two heating oil has become less frequently used in Cumberland. In the 12 years since 2013, the number of households using fuel oil dropped from 329,733 to 185,324, a 44% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Cumberland
Between 2013 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 60,943 to 70,406, a 16% change. Comparing 2013 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel increased from 2,354,824 to 2,627,206, a 12% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Cumberland
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are increasing in demand in Cumberland. Since 2013, the number of homes heating with electricity jumped from 388,226 to 617,773, a 59% 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 829% gain from 2013, when 1,270 homes used 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 consumption varies each year depending on winter temperatures. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ HVAC systems need to burn more and more heating 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 residences heating with oil, picking which of the 2 heating oil companies that serve Cumberland can drastically impact the cost of home heating.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Cumberland. Full service companies such as or offer homeowners annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic oil delivery and furnace 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 household 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 number two heating 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 Cumberland cash heating oil companies serving Cumberland include Bottom Dollar Heating Oil and Pedroni Fuel Co.
Cumberland Oil Company By The Numbers: Fuel oil Companies Serving Cumberland: 2 companies .
Average Number of Cumberland Homes Served per Heating Oil company : 92662
Cumberland Heating Oil Delivery Overview
185,324 households in Cumberland heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Cumberland temperatures drop as low as 28.8° F each winter. 5.2% of Cumberland residences depend on number two 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 Heating Oil Companies You Can Bank On
With 169,797,916 gallons of oil delivered to Cumberland homes during this past winter, the Cumberland community looks to its 2 oil companies when temperatures dip. 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 fuel oil to residences and companies throughout Cumberland and the surrounding region.
