Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Erie Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homes have a variety of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most popular choice in Erie, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of households. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Erie homeowners 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%).
Erie 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 Erie
Fuel oil has become less popular in Erie. In the 1 years since 2024, the number of homeowners using number two heating oil dropped from 1,143,783 to 1,103,323, a 4% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Erie
Between 2024 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose from 370,910 to 377,922, a 2% change. Comparing 2024 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 4,679,558 to 4,725,574, a 1% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Erie
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more prevalent in Erie. Since 2024, the number of homes heating with electricity ramped up from 1,292,868 to 1,365,710, a 6% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Erie
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 Erie are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 8% gain from 2024, when 15,259 homes incorporated active solar heating.
Erie County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Erie County homeowners purchased a total of 2 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Erie’s overall fuel oil consumption fluctuates annually based on the severity of the winter. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ boilers need to burn additional fuel oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Erie was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Erie County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 28.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 33.5° F |
Erie County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Erie households heating with oil, selecting which of the 8 heating oil companies that serve Erie can drastically impact the cost of home heating.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 40 “full-service” oil companies that serve Erie. Full service companies such as Pautler Oil Service Inc or Drum Oil Inc offer clients annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic heating oil delivery and heating system repair. With an automatic oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s 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 referred to as “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for households who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. A few of the 2 Erie cash heating oil companies serving Erie include Olear's Inc and Noco Energy Corp.
Erie Number Two Heating Oil Company By The Numbers: Oil Companies Serving Erie: 8 companies .
Average Number of Erie Homes Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 137915
Erie Heating Oil Delivery Overview
1,103,323 families in Erie heat their homes with number two heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Erie temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Erie homes are reliant on number two heating oil delivery each winter.
7% of Erie County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Erie County Households | Erie County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 15.6M | 1.1M |
84 Erie Oil Companies You Can Bank On
With 664,748,714 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Erie homes the last heating season, the Erie community relies on its 84 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 Erie, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Bridgeport, CT and N.h.term in New Haven, CT. Then, the truck delivers the fuel oil to residences and companies throughout Erie and the surrounding area.
