Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Monmouth Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homes have a host of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Monmouth, used by 2,627,206 or 74% of residents. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Monmouth 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%).
Monmouth 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 Monmouth
Number two heating oil has become losing popularity in Monmouth. In the 1 years since 2024, the number of homeowners using oil declined from 198,050 to 185,324, a 6% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Monmouth
Between 2024 and today, the number of homes 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 stayed the same at 2,627,206, a 0% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Monmouth
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are increasing in demand in Monmouth. Since 2024, the number of homes heating with electricity shot up from 592,186 to 617,773, a 4% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Monmouth
Solar is the most environmentally friendly of all heating fuels. 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 Monmouth are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 8% gain from 2024, when 10,926 homes had active solar heating.
Monmouth County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Monmouth County homeowners purchased a total of 6 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Monmouth’s overall fuel oil usage varies each year correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ heating systems need to burn more and more heating oil to keep the house warm inside. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Monmouth was 33.5°F, which was 4.7°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Monmouth County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 33.5° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 38.2° F |
Monmouth County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Monmouth homes heating with number two heating oil, selecting which of the 15 heating oil companies that serve Monmouth makes a big difference.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who value a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 98 “full-service” oil companies that serve Monmouth. Full service companies such as Lawes Home Comfort or Globe Petroleum offer households annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic heating oil delivery and furnace repair. With an automatic number two heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s 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 customers who are looking to save money. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the heating oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when you're running low. Examples of 2 Monmouth cash heating oil companies serving Monmouth include Jacquar Fuel Oil and Globe Discount.
Monmouth Oil Company By The Numbers: Oil Companies Serving Monmouth: 15 companies .
Average Number of Monmouth Houses Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 12355
Monmouth Heating Oil Delivery Overview
185,324 homes in Monmouth heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Monmouth temperatures drop as low as 28.8° F each winter. 5.2% of Monmouth homes are reliant on heating oil delivery each winter.
2.6% of Monmouth County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Monmouth County Households | Monmouth County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 7.1M | 185,324 |
371 Monmouth Oil Companies Serving The Community
With 169,797,916 gallons of heating oil delivered to Monmouth houses the last heating season, the Monmouth community looks to its 371 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 Monmouth, two of the closest terminals are Sunoco in Linden, NJ and Sunoco in Linden, NJ. Then, the truck delivers the #2 heating oil to homes and businesses throughout Monmouth and the surrounding region.