Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Franklin Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Residences have a variety of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Franklin, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of families. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Franklin homeowners is Electricity, used by 1,365,710 homes (18%). The other homes are heated with Heating Oil (14%), Propane (5%), Other (1%), and Wood (1%).
Franklin 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 Franklin
Number two heating oil has become losing popularity in Franklin. In the 13 years since 2012, the number of families using heating oil decreased from 1,901,118 to 1,103,323, a 42% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Franklin
Between 2012 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel increased from 237,738 to 377,922, a 59% change. Comparing 2012 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel grew from 4,044,389 to 4,725,574, a 17% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Franklin
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are increasing in demand in Franklin. Since 2012, the number of homes heating with electricity shot up from 775,390 to 1,365,710, a 76% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Franklin
Out of all fuels, solar is the safest for the environment. 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 Franklin are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 658% gain from 2012, when 2,168 homes used active solar heating.
Franklin County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Franklin County homeowners purchased a total of 4 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Franklin’s overall oil use changes annually primarily depending on how cold each winter is. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ furnaces need to burn more and more fuel oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Franklin was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Franklin County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 28.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 33.5° F |
Franklin County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Franklin homes heating with oil, selecting which of the 10 heating oil companies that serve Franklin plays a big role in determining how much money is spent on heating each winter.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who want a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 24 “full-service” oil companies that serve Franklin. Full service companies such as Collins Oil Inc or Harris Oil Inc offer families annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic heating oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic number two 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 household 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 families who are budget-conscious. 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. Examples of 2 Franklin cash heating oil companies serving Franklin include Adirondack Energy Products Inc and Fountain Heating LLC.
Franklin Number Two Heating Oil Company By The Numbers: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Franklin: 10 companies .
Average Number of Franklin Homes Served per Fuel Oil company : 110332
Franklin Heating Oil Delivery Overview
1,103,323 households in Franklin heat their homes with number two heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Franklin temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Franklin households rely on oil delivery each winter.
7% of Franklin County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Franklin County Households | Franklin County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 15.6M | 1.1M |
72 Franklin Oil Companies Homeowners Can Count On
With 664,748,714 gallons of oil delivered to Franklin households during this past winter, the Franklin community looks to its 72 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 Franklin, 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 Franklin and the surrounding vicinity.