Date	Price
01/09/2026	$3.174
01/08/2026	$3.177
01/07/2026	$3.182
01/06/2026	$3.194
01/05/2026	$3.197
01/04/2026	$3.198
01/03/2026	$3.199
01/02/2026	$3.199
01/01/2026	$3.196
12/31/2025	$3.199
12/30/2025	$3.199
12/29/2025	$3.193
12/28/2025	$3.196
12/27/2025	$3.195
12/26/2025	$3.194
12/25/2025	$3.195
12/24/2025	$3.195
12/23/2025	$3.194
12/22/2025	$3.191
12/21/2025	$3.194
12/20/2025	$3.199
12/19/2025	$3.199
12/18/2025	$3.199
12/17/2025	$3.199
12/16/2025	$2.799
12/15/2025	$2.799
12/14/2025	$2.799
12/13/2025	$3.199
12/12/2025	$3.199
12/11/2025	$3.199

Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Columbia Home Heating Fuel Comparison

Homes have a host of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Columbia, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of homeowners. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Columbia households 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%).

Columbia County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (in Number of Households)

Year	Natural Gas	Propane	Electricity	Oil	Wood	Solar	Other
2025	54,345,995	3,852,351	15,152,300	12,150,215	1,528,832	49,551	965,942
2024	54,568,071	4,135,191	14,304,766	13,657,397	1,395,422	79,805	1,053,660
2023	54,602,419	4,386,014	13,489,574	15,145,446	1,265,719	107,463	1,131,873
2022	54,363,807	4,339,040	12,803,543	15,992,578	1,257,805	108,288	1,140,235
2021	54,061,475	4,114,307	12,000,235	16,632,522	1,324,256	95,189	1,095,930
2020	53,323,524	3,897,922	11,354,669	17,154,552	1,391,480	89,123	1,048,120
2019	52,462,179	3,661,802	10,730,044	17,860,046	1,474,191	79,739	1,002,000
2018	51,769,199	3,468,945	10,231,832	18,719,789	1,565,542	65,316	975,337
2017	51,058,554	3,343,718	9,951,967	19,572,893	1,642,923	54,401	975,306
2016	50,300,624	3,211,343	9,723,022	20,393,885	1,707,981	44,807	948,347
2015	49,678,528	3,073,822	9,410,192	21,345,530	1,750,824	35,228	904,279
2014	49,145,092	2,965,973	9,071,735	22,384,709	1,772,839	29,310	861,878
2013	48,519,646	2,875,722	8,724,939	23,380,223	1,770,703	26,140	819,051
2012	47,926,394	2,781,777	8,347,598	24,455,338	1,731,834	23,111	769,203
2011	47,264,555	2,714,802	8,011,428	25,566,431	1,655,190	20,508	741,884
2010	46,499,120	2,678,889	7,666,509	26,676,046	1,566,890	21,918	748,535

Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Columbia

Heating oil has become less frequently used in Columbia. In the 5 years since 2020, the number of families using oil decreased from 1,343,665 to 1,103,323, a 18% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Columbia

Between 2020 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 353,944 to 377,922, a 7% change. Comparing 2020 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 4,504,504 to 4,725,574, a 5% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Columbia

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Columbia. Since 2020, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 1,014,730 to 1,365,710, a 35% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Columbia

The most eco-friendly heating option is solar. 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 87% gain from 2020, when 8,778 homes used 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 oil consumption varies from year to year depending on winter temperatures. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ boilers need to burn more and more fuel oil to keep the house warm inside. 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 number two heating oil, picking which of the 44 heating oil companies that serve Columbia makes a big difference.

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 271 “full-service” oil companies that serve Columbia. Full service companies such as Morse Fuels LLC or C A Albright & Sons LLC offer customers annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and heating system repair. With an automatic fuel oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s fuel oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The homeowner 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 return for better 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 Oil Company Statistics: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Columbia: 44 companies .
Average Number of Columbia Houses Served per Fuel Oil company : 0

Heating Oil Near You In These Adjacent Counties

Schenectady County, NY

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