Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Chautauqua Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Residences have a variety of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most popular choice in Chautauqua, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of residents. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Chautauqua 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%).
Chautauqua 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 Chautauqua
Fuel oil has become less popular in Chautauqua. In the 10 years since 2015, the number of residents using number two heating oil fell from 1,649,860 to 1,103,323, a 33% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Chautauqua
Between 2015 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 265,224 to 377,922, a 42% change. Comparing 2015 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 4,202,413 to 4,725,574, a 12% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Chautauqua
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more prevalent in Chautauqua. Since 2015, the number of homes heating with electricity jumped from 808,370 to 1,365,710, a 69% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Chautauqua
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, 16,434 homes in Chautauqua are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 427% gain from 2015, when 3,120 homes utilized active solar heating.
Chautauqua County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Chautauqua County homeowners purchased a total of 130,115 gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Chautauqua’s overall oil usage varies annually primarily depending on how cold each winter is. As the temperature outside drops, 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 Chautauqua was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Chautauqua County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 28.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 33.5° F |
Chautauqua County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Chautauqua homes heating with heating oil, choosing which of the 3 heating oil companies that serve Chautauqua is an important decision.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who can afford a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 1 “full-service” oil companies that serve Chautauqua. Full service companies such as Lictus Keystone Inc or offer clients annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating oil delivery and heating system repair. With an automatic heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s heating oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The client 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 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. A few of the 2 Chautauqua cash heating oil companies serving Chautauqua include Tps Supply Corp Tps Petroleum Suppliers and Danielson Oil Company Inc.
Chautauqua Fuel Oil Company Fast Facts: Fuel oil Companies Serving Chautauqua: 3 companies .
Average Number of Chautauqua Homes Served per Heating Oil company : 367774
Chautauqua Heating Oil Delivery Overview
1,103,323 residences in Chautauqua heat their homes with fuel oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Chautauqua temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Chautauqua houses depend on fuel oil delivery each winter.
7% of Chautauqua County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Chautauqua County Households | Chautauqua County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 15.6M | 1.1M |
3 Chautauqua Fuel Oil Companies Go The Distance
With 664,748,714 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Chautauqua houses during this past winter, the Chautauqua 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 Chautauqua, 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 Chautauqua and the surrounding region.
