Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Sussex Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homes have a variety of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Sussex, used by 2,627,206 or 74% of families. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Sussex 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%).
Sussex 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 Sussex
Fuel oil has become decreasing in demand in Sussex. In the 8 years since 2017, the number of families using number two heating oil dropped from 271,265 to 185,324, a 32% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Sussex
Between 2017 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose from 62,490 to 70,406, a 13% change. Comparing 2017 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel grew from 2,425,008 to 2,627,206, a 8% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Sussex
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Sussex. Since 2017, the number of homes heating with electricity increased from 415,119 to 617,773, a 49% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Sussex
Out of all fuels, solar is the safest for the environment. 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 Sussex are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 146% gain from 2017, when 4,801 homes used active solar heating.
Sussex County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Sussex County homeowners purchased a total of 8 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Sussex’s overall number two heating oil usage fluctuates yearly based on the severity of the winter. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ HVAC systems need to burn increasing amounts of heating oil to keep the house warm inside. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Sussex was 33.5°F, which was 4.7°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Sussex County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 33.5° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 38.2° F |
Sussex County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Sussex families heating with heating oil, choosing which of the 8 heating oil companies that serve Sussex 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 9 “full-service” oil companies that serve Sussex. Full service companies such as NRG Heat & Power or Advantage Oil offer customers annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating oil delivery and heating system repair. With an automatic oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s heating 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 known by the names “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for clients who are on a budget. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order either when the level runs low or just before a major snowstorm. Some of the 2 Sussex cash heating oil companies serving Sussex include Finch Fuel and Apple Heating Oil.
Sussex Number Two Heating Oil Company By The Numbers: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Sussex: 8 companies .
Average Number of Sussex Houses Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 23166
Sussex Heating Oil Delivery Overview
185,324 homes in Sussex heat their homes with heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Sussex temperatures drop as low as 28.8° F each winter. 5.2% of Sussex households rely on heating oil delivery each winter.
2.6% of Sussex County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Sussex County Households | Sussex County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 7.1M | 185,324 |
44 Sussex Heating Oil Companies Homeowners Can Count On
With 169,797,916 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Sussex households last winter, the Sussex community looks to its 44 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. 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 Sussex, two of the closest terminals are Sunoco in Linden, NJ and Sunoco in Linden, NJ. Then, the truck delivers the oil to residences and companies throughout Sussex and the surrounding vicinity.
