Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Cayuga Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Households have a host of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most popular choice in Cayuga, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of households. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Cayuga families is Electricity, used by 1,365,710 homes (18%). The other homes are heated with Heating Oil (14%), Propane (5%), Other (1%), and Wood (1%).
Cayuga County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (in Number 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 Cayuga
Number two heating oil has become less frequently used in Cayuga. In the 2 years since 2023, the number of residents using heating oil declined from 1,212,850 to 1,103,323, a 9% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Cayuga
Between 2023 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel declined from 402,335 to 377,922, a 6% change. Comparing 2023 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel grew from 4,581,041 to 4,725,574, a 3% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Cayuga
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Cayuga. Since 2023, the number of homes heating with electricity ramped up from 1,263,700 to 1,365,710, a 8% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Cayuga
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. As it stands today, 16,434 homes in Cayuga are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 47% gain from 2023, when 11,208 homes used active solar heating.
Cayuga County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Cayuga County homeowners purchased a total of 551,303 gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Cayuga’s overall heating oil use fluctuates yearly depending on winter temperatures. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ furnaces need to burn more and more fuel oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Cayuga was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Cayuga County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 28.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 33.5° F |
Cayuga County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Cayuga families heating with oil, choosing which of the 2 heating oil companies that serve Cayuga is an important decision.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who want a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 1 “full-service” oil companies that serve Cayuga. Full service companies such as E And V Energy Corporation or offer clients annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic 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 customer 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 customers who are on a budget. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the heating oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when you're running low. Examples of 2 Cayuga cash heating oil companies serving Cayuga include Vannorstrand Oil Company LLC and Vannorstrand Oil Company LLC.
Cayuga Oil Company Statistics: Fuel oil Companies Serving Cayuga: 2 companies .
Average Number of Cayuga Homes Served per Fuel Oil company : 551662
Cayuga Heating Oil Delivery Overview
1,103,323 residences in Cayuga heat their homes with fuel oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Cayuga temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Cayuga residences are reliant on oil delivery each winter.
7% of Cayuga County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Cayuga County Households | Cayuga County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 15.6M | 1.1M |
3 Cayuga Heating Oil Companies Go The Distance
With 664,748,714 gallons of number two heating oil delivered to Cayuga residences the last heating season, the Cayuga community looks to its 3 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 Cayuga, 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 homes and businesses throughout Cayuga and the surrounding region.
