Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Mercer Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Households have a host of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Mercer, used by 2,627,206 or 74% of households. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Mercer residents 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%).
Mercer 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 Mercer
Heating oil has become less popular in Mercer. In the 10 years since 2015, the number of households using number two heating oil dipped from 299,222 to 185,324, a 38% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Mercer
Between 2015 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 61,082 to 70,406, a 15% change. Comparing 2015 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel rose from 2,398,744 to 2,627,206, a 10% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Mercer
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Mercer. Since 2015, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 385,792 to 617,773, a 60% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Mercer
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. Now, 11,798 homes in Mercer are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 562% gain from 2015, when 1,781 homes used active solar heating.
Mercer County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Mercer County homeowners purchased a total of 6 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Mercer’s overall number two heating oil use fluctuates annually based on the severity of the winter. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ heating systems need to burn more and more number two heating oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Mercer was 33.5°F, which was 4.7°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Mercer County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 33.5° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 38.2° F |
Mercer County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Mercer households heating with oil, choosing which of the 12 heating oil companies that serve Mercer 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 13 “full-service” oil companies that serve Mercer. Full service companies such as PFO Heating & Air Conditioning or PFO Heating & Air Conditioning offer homeowners annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic number two heating 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 known by the names “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 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 Mercer cash heating oil companies serving Mercer include Jacquar Fuel Oil and K W Rastall Inc.
Mercer Number Two Heating Oil Company Fast Facts: Oil Companies Serving Mercer: 12 companies .
Average Number of Mercer Houses Served per Heating Oil company : 15444
Mercer Heating Oil Delivery Overview
185,324 houses in Mercer heat their homes with heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Mercer temperatures drop as low as 28.8° F each winter. 5.2% of Mercer residences depend on heating oil delivery each winter.
2.6% of Mercer County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Mercer County Households | Mercer County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 7.1M | 185,324 |
70 Mercer Number Two Heating Oil Companies Serving The Community
With 169,797,916 gallons of oil delivered to Mercer homes last winter, the Mercer community looks to its 70 oil companies to keep warm throughout the winter. 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 Mercer, 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 Mercer and the surrounding area.
