Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Gloucester Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Families have a choice of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Gloucester, used by 2,627,206 or 74% of families. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Gloucester households 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%).
Gloucester 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 Gloucester
Oil has become less frequently used in Gloucester. In the 1 years since 2024, the number of residents using fuel oil decreased from 198,050 to 185,324, a 6% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Gloucester
Between 2024 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 66,233 to 70,406, a 6% change. Comparing 2024 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel remained unchanged at 2,627,206, a 0% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Gloucester
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more prevalent in Gloucester. Since 2024, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 592,186 to 617,773, a 4% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Gloucester
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. Today, 11,798 homes in Gloucester are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 8% gain from 2024, when 10,926 homes utilized active solar heating.
Gloucester County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Gloucester County homeowners purchased a total of 2 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Gloucester’s overall heating oil use varies annually depending on winter temperatures. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ boilers need to burn additional fuel oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Gloucester was 33.5°F, which was 4.7°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Gloucester County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 33.5° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 38.2° F |
Gloucester County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Gloucester families heating with fuel oil, selecting which of the 7 heating oil companies that serve Gloucester makes a big difference.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Gloucester. Full service companies such as or offer households annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic heating oil delivery and furnace repair. With an automatic fuel oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s heating 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: Also known by the names “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for families who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when you're running low. Some of the 2 Gloucester cash heating oil companies serving Gloucester include SJ Fuel South Co Inc and Bottom Dollar Heating Oil.
Gloucester Number Two Heating Oil Company Statistics: Heating oil Companies Serving Gloucester: 7 companies .
Average Number of Gloucester Households Served per Heating Oil company : 26475
Gloucester Heating Oil Delivery Overview
185,324 homes in Gloucester heat their homes with heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Gloucester temperatures drop as low as 28.8° F each winter. 5.2% of Gloucester houses rely on number two heating oil delivery each winter.
2.6% of Gloucester County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Gloucester County Households | Gloucester County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 7.1M | 185,324 |
34 Gloucester Heating Oil Companies Go The Distance
With 169,797,916 gallons of heating oil delivered to Gloucester households the last heating season, the Gloucester community relies on its 34 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. Oil delivery can be summed up in two steps: First, an oil truck picks up oil at the nearest bulk fuel terminal (also known as a “rack”). In the case of Gloucester, 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 Gloucester and the surrounding vicinity.
