Cheapest Essex County Heating Oil Price History
Updated Today
| Date | Price |
|---|---|
| 12/18/2025 | $3.216 |
| 12/17/2025 | $3.217 |
| 12/16/2025 | $2.799 |
| 12/15/2025 | $2.799 |
| 12/14/2025 | $2.799 |
| 12/13/2025 | $3.253 |
| 12/12/2025 | $3.252 |
| 12/11/2025 | $3.253 |
| 12/10/2025 | $3.260 |
Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Essex Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Households have a choice of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Essex, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of households. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Essex 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%).
Essex 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 Essex
Number two heating oil has become decreasing in demand in Essex. 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 Essex
Between 2023 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel dipped 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 ramped up from 4,581,041 to 4,725,574, a 3% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Essex
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Essex. Since 2023, the number of homes heating with electricity increased from 1,263,700 to 1,365,710, a 8% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Essex
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. Currently, 16,434 homes in Essex are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 47% gain from 2023, when 11,208 homes had active solar heating.
Essex County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Essex County homeowners purchased a total of 1 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Essex’s overall fuel oil consumption changes each year as winter conditions change. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ boilers need to burn additional number two heating oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Essex was 26.9°F, which was 1°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Essex County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 30.5° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 31° F |
Essex County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Essex homes heating with fuel oil, choosing which of the 8 heating oil companies that serve Essex is an important decision.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who can afford a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 11 “full-service” oil companies that serve Essex. Full service companies such as Leroux Enterprises LLC or PJ Hyde & Son Inc offer customers annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic oil delivery and heating system 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 client does not need to monitor the level of the oil tank or place individual orders.
Discount Oil Companies: Often called “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for customers who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when you're running low. Examples of 2 Essex cash heating oil companies serving Essex include Au Sable Valley Fuel Incorporated Gordon Oil and Church Oil Co Inc.
Essex Oil Company By The Numbers: Oil Companies Serving Essex: 8 companies .
Average Number of Essex Households Served per Heating Oil company : 3414
Essex Heating Oil Delivery Overview
1,103,323 households in Essex heat their homes with heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Essex temperatures drop as low as 27° F each winter. 14% of Essex families rely on number two heating oil delivery each winter.
36.18% of Essex County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Essex County Households | Essex County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 75,474 | 27,309 |
18 Essex Heating Oil Companies You Can Trust
With 664,748,714.28 gallons of oil delivered to Essex households during this past winter, the Essex community looks to its 18 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 Essex, 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 Essex and the surrounding area.
