Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Bronx Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Families have a host of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most popular choice in Bronx, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of homeowners. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Bronx residents is Electricity, used by 1,365,710 homes (18%). The remaining homes are heated with Heating Oil (14%), Propane (5%), Other (1%), and Wood (1%).
Bronx County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (No. of Households)
| Year | Natural Gas | Propane | Electricity | Oil | Wood | Solar | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,725,574 | 377,922 | 1,365,710 | 1,103,323 | 92,054 | 16,434 | 100,232 |
| 2024 | 4,679,558 | 370,910 | 1,292,868 | 1,143,783 | 96,147 | 15,259 | 97,524 |
| 2023 | 4,581,041 | 402,335 | 1,263,700 | 1,212,850 | 100,015 | 11,208 | 104,369 |
| 2022 | 4,542,443 | 400,969 | 1,190,880 | 1,279,260 | 99,080 | 11,314 | 103,810 |
| 2021 | 4,489,009 | 388,311 | 1,118,015 | 1,293,770 | 108,202 | 8,858 | 98,952 |
| 2020 | 4,504,504 | 353,944 | 1,014,730 | 1,343,665 | 111,106 | 8,778 | 89,024 |
| 2019 | 4,519,999 | 319,576 | 911,445 | 1,393,560 | 114,011 | 8,697 | 79,096 |
| 2018 | 4,397,917 | 308,020 | 890,554 | 1,459,976 | 120,159 | 6,022 | 82,621 |
| 2017 | 4,339,349 | 294,973 | 867,925 | 1,496,843 | 122,088 | 5,988 | 77,386 |
| 2016 | 4,227,422 | 273,838 | 860,856 | 1,540,787 | 126,890 | 6,535 | 79,479 |
| 2015 | 4,202,413 | 265,224 | 808,370 | 1,649,860 | 141,016 | 3,120 | 78,999 |
| 2014 | 4,186,666 | 258,775 | 770,577 | 1,752,656 | 145,012 | 2,573 | 76,963 |
| 2013 | 4,074,510 | 259,367 | 764,400 | 1,802,442 | 148,422 | 2,525 | 81,841 |
| 2012 | 4,044,389 | 237,738 | 775,390 | 1,901,118 | 155,603 | 2,168 | 61,429 |
| 2011 | 4,014,222 | 222,634 | 707,016 | 1,979,067 | 143,287 | 2,728 | 63,609 |
| 2010 | 3,961,085 | 227,607 | 676,262 | 2,068,004 | 143,242 | 1,823 | 61,664 |
Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Bronx
Fuel oil has become decreasing in demand in Bronx. In the 8 years since 2017, the number of families using heating oil declined from 1,496,843 to 1,103,323, a 26% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Bronx
Between 2017 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel increased from 294,973 to 377,922, a 28% change. Comparing 2017 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 4,339,349 to 4,725,574, a 9% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Bronx
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Bronx. Since 2017, the number of homes heating with electricity increased from 867,925 to 1,365,710, a 57% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Bronx
Solar is the most environmentally friendly of all heating fuels. 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. Currently, 16,434 homes in Bronx are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 174% gain from 2017, when 5,988 homes had active solar heating.
Bronx County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Bronx County homeowners purchased a total of 73 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Bronx’s overall number two heating oil use changes from year to year primarily depending on how cold each winter is. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ HVAC systems need to burn more and more oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Bronx was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Bronx County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 28.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 33.5° F |
Bronx County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Bronx homes heating with heating oil, selecting which of the 119 heating oil companies that serve Bronx is an important decision.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who value a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 58 “full-service” oil companies that serve Bronx. Full service companies such as Plitnick Home Fuel & Service Co LLC or Nrg Heat & Power LLC 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 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: Also known by the names “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for households who are looking to save money. With discount oil companies, in return for better 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. Examples of 2 Bronx cash heating oil companies serving Bronx include Ronco Oil Inc and TDR Heating Corp.
Bronx Number Two Heating Oil Company Fast Facts: Oil Companies Serving Bronx: 119 companies .
Average Number of Bronx Households Served per Fuel Oil company : 9272
Bronx Heating Oil Delivery Overview
1,103,323 residences in Bronx heat their homes with number two heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Bronx temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Bronx families are reliant on oil delivery each winter.
7% of Bronx County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Bronx County Households | Bronx County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 15.6M | 1.1M |
119 Bronx Number Two Heating Oil Companies You Can Bank On
With 664,748,714 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Bronx families the last heating season, the Bronx community relies on its 119 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 Bronx, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Bridgeport, CT and N.h.term in New Haven, CT. Then, the truck delivers the number two heating oil to residences and companies throughout Bronx and the surrounding vicinity.
