Families have a choice of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most popular choice in Delaware, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of residents. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Delaware families 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%).

Delaware 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 Delaware

Oil has become less popular in Delaware. In the 2 years since 2023, the number of residents using oil declined from 1,212,850 to 1,103,323, a 9% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Delaware

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 jumped from 4,581,041 to 4,725,574, a 3% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Delaware

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Delaware. Since 2023, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 1,263,700 to 1,365,710, a 8% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Delaware

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 Delaware are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 47% gain from 2023, when 11,208 homes had active solar heating.

Delaware County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Delaware County homeowners purchased a total of 2 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Delaware’s overall heating oil usage fluctuates each year as winter conditions change. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ boilers need to burn additional number two heating oil to keep the house warm inside. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Delaware was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Delaware County Average Winter Temperature

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

Delaware County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Delaware residences heating with oil, picking which of the 11 heating oil companies that serve Delaware makes a big difference.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who value a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 44 “full-service” oil companies that serve Delaware. Full service companies such as Reinhardt Corp or A And L Home Fuel LLC offer households annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s fuel oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The household 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 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 the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. Some of the 2 Delaware cash heating oil companies serving Delaware include Sunrise Heating Fuels Inc and Worcester Fuel Oil Inc Cash Oil Assoc.

Delaware Number Two Heating Oil Company Statistics: Heating oil Companies Serving Delaware: 11 companies .
Average Number of Delaware Households Served per Fuel Oil company : 100302

Delaware Heating Oil Delivery Overview

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

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

Delaware County Households	Delaware County Heating Oil Households
15.6M	1.1M

90 Delaware Number Two Heating Oil Companies Go The Distance

With 664,748,714 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Delaware homes the last heating season, the Delaware community looks to its 90 oil companies when temperatures dip. 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 Delaware, 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 Delaware and the surrounding region.

Heating Oil Near You In These Adjacent Counties