Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Clinton Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homes have a host of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most popular choice in Clinton, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of homeowners. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Clinton households 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%).
Clinton 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 Clinton
Oil has become less popular in Clinton. In the 8 years since 2017, the number of residents using heating oil decreased from 1,496,843 to 1,103,323, a 26% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Clinton
Between 2017 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel jumped 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 rose from 4,339,349 to 4,725,574, a 9% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Clinton
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Clinton. Since 2017, the number of homes heating with electricity grew from 867,925 to 1,365,710, a 57% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Clinton
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. Today, 16,434 homes in Clinton are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 174% gain from 2017, when 5,988 homes used active solar heating.
Clinton County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Clinton County homeowners purchased a total of 4 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Clinton’s overall oil consumption changes each year correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ HVAC systems need to burn increasing amounts of oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Clinton was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Clinton County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 28.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 33.5° F |
Clinton County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Clinton homes heating with fuel oil, choosing which of the 4 heating oil companies that serve Clinton is an important decision.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who are willing to pay a premium for a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 7 “full-service” oil companies that serve Clinton. Full service companies such as Leroux Enterprises LLC or Leroux Enterprises LLC offer families annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic oil delivery and furnace repair. With an automatic heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s number two 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 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 heating oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when you're running low. Examples of 2 Clinton cash heating oil companies serving Clinton include Au Sable Valley Fuel Incorporated Gordon Oil and Church Oil Co Inc.
Clinton Oil Company Statistics: Oil Companies Serving Clinton: 4 companies .
Average Number of Clinton Homes Served per Heating Oil company : 275831
Clinton Heating Oil Delivery Overview
1,103,323 families in Clinton heat their homes with heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Clinton temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Clinton families depend on oil delivery each winter.
7% of Clinton County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Clinton County Households | Clinton County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 15.6M | 1.1M |
24 Clinton Heating Oil Companies You Can Trust
With 664,748,714 gallons of oil delivered to Clinton homeowners during this past winter, the Clinton community depends on its 24 oil companies when temperatures dip. 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 Clinton, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Bridgeport, CT and N.h.term in New Haven, CT. Then, the truck delivers the oil to residences and companies throughout Clinton and the surrounding region.
