Homeowners have a choice of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Columbia, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of residents. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Columbia residents is Electricity, used by 1,365,710 homes (18%). The rest of the homes are heated with Heating Oil (14%), Propane (5%), Other (1%), and Wood (1%).

Columbia 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 Columbia

Fuel oil has become less popular in Columbia. In the 10 years since 2015, the number of residents using fuel oil dipped from 1,649,860 to 1,103,323, a 33% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Columbia

Between 2015 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel increased 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 Columbia

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more prevalent in Columbia. Since 2015, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 808,370 to 1,365,710, a 69% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Columbia

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. Now, 16,434 homes in Columbia are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 427% gain from 2015, when 3,120 homes had active solar heating.

Columbia County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Columbia County homeowners purchased a total of 6 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Columbia’s overall heating oil use changes annually correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ heating systems need to burn more and more number two heating oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Columbia was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Columbia County Average Winter Temperature

Heating Season	Average Temperature
2024 - 2025	28.1° F
2023 - 2024	33.5° F

Columbia County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Columbia homes heating with oil, selecting which of the 44 heating oil companies that serve Columbia is an important decision.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who value a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 271 “full-service” oil companies that serve Columbia. Full service companies such as Morse Fuels LLC or C A Albright & Sons LLC offer families annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating oil delivery and boiler repair. With an automatic fuel 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 homeowners who are looking to save money. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the number two heating oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. Some of the 2 Columbia cash heating oil companies serving Columbia include Collins & Son Inc and Lucky Petroleum Inc.

Columbia Fuel Oil Company Fast Facts: Fuel oil Companies Serving Columbia: 44 companies .
Average Number of Columbia Homes Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 25076

Columbia Heating Oil Delivery Overview

1,103,323 residences in Columbia heat their homes with number two heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Columbia temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Columbia families depend on fuel oil delivery each winter.

7% of Columbia County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter

Columbia County Households	Columbia County Heating Oil Households
15.6M	1.1M

427 Columbia Oil Companies You Can Trust

With 664,748,714 gallons of heating oil delivered to Columbia residences the last heating season, the Columbia community relies on its 427 oil companies to keep warm throughout the winter. 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 Columbia, 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 Columbia and the surrounding region.

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