Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Salem Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homeowners have a host of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Salem, used by 2,627,206 or 74% of families. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Salem homeowners is Electricity, used by 617,773 homes (17%). The remaining homes are heated with Heating Oil (5%), Propane (2%), Other (0.4%), and Solar (0.3%).
Salem 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 Salem
Heating oil has become losing popularity in Salem. In the 4 years since 2021, the number of homeowners using heating oil fell from 240,765 to 185,324, a 23% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Salem
Between 2021 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel dropped from 87,258 to 70,406, a 19% change. Comparing 2021 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel grew from 2,545,038 to 2,627,206, a 3% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Salem
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Salem. Since 2021, the number of homes heating with electricity increased from 555,363 to 617,773, a 11% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Salem
The most eco-friendly heating option is solar. 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. Currently, 11,798 homes in Salem are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 54% gain from 2021, when 7,643 homes had active solar heating.
Salem County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Salem County homeowners purchased a total of 1 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Salem’s overall fuel oil consumption varies annually based on the severity of the winter. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ furnaces need to burn increasing amounts of fuel oil to keep the house warm inside. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Salem was 33.5°F, which was 4.7°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Salem County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 33.5° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 38.2° F |
Salem County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Salem homeowners heating with fuel oil, picking which of the 2 heating oil companies that serve Salem plays a big role in determining how much money is spent on heating each winter.
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 Salem. Full service companies such as or offer customers annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic oil delivery and heating system 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 homeowner does not need to monitor the level of the oil tank or place individual orders.
Discount Oil Companies: also referred to as “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for households who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the fuel oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when you're running low. Some of the 2 Salem cash heating oil companies serving Salem include Bottom Dollar Heating Oil and Ross Fogg Fuel Oil Co Inc.
Salem Oil Company Fast Facts: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Salem: 2 companies .
Average Number of Salem Homes Served per Heating Oil company : 92662
Salem Heating Oil Delivery Overview
185,324 residences in Salem heat their homes with number two heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Salem temperatures drop as low as 28.8° F each winter. 5.2% of Salem households depend on heating oil delivery each winter.
2.6% of Salem County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Salem County Households | Salem County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 7.1M | 185,324 |
2 Salem Number Two Heating Oil Companies You Can Bank On
With 169,797,916 gallons of heating oil delivered to Salem houses last winter, the Salem community relies on its 2 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 Salem, two of the closest terminals are Sunoco in Linden, NJ and Sunoco in Linden, NJ. Then, the truck delivers the #2 heating oil to residences and companies throughout Salem and the surrounding area.
