Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Fulton Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homes have a variety of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Fulton, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of households. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Fulton households 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%).
Fulton 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 Fulton
Fuel oil has become less popular in Fulton. In the 11 years since 2014, the number of residents using heating oil fell from 1,752,656 to 1,103,323, a 37% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Fulton
Between 2014 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 258,775 to 377,922, a 46% change. Comparing 2014 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel increased from 4,186,666 to 4,725,574, a 13% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Fulton
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are increasing in demand in Fulton. Since 2014, the number of homes heating with electricity increased from 770,577 to 1,365,710, a 77% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Fulton
Solar is the most environmentally friendly of all heating fuels. 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. Currently, 16,434 homes in Fulton are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 539% gain from 2014, when 2,573 homes used active solar heating.
Fulton County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Fulton County homeowners purchased a total of 2 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Fulton’s overall number two heating oil use changes each year primarily depending on how cold each winter is. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ heating systems need to burn more and more oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Fulton was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Fulton County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 28.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 33.5° F |
Fulton County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Fulton families heating with number two heating oil, selecting which of the 14 heating oil companies that serve Fulton can drastically impact the cost of home heating.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who value a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 14 “full-service” oil companies that serve Fulton. Full service companies such as Pne Transportation Inc Egelston Oil Company or James H Sprung Elocin Oil Co offer customers annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and boiler repair. With an automatic heating 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: Often called “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for homeowners 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 you're running low. Some of the 2 Fulton cash heating oil companies serving Fulton include Countryside Management Corp Countryside Fuels and Neri Oil Company Inc.
Fulton Fuel Oil Company Fast Facts: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Fulton: 14 companies .
Average Number of Fulton Homes Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 78809
Fulton Heating Oil Delivery Overview
1,103,323 families in Fulton heat their homes with fuel oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Fulton temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Fulton families rely on number two heating oil delivery each winter.
7% of Fulton County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Fulton County Households | Fulton County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 15.6M | 1.1M |
42 Fulton Number Two Heating Oil Companies You Can Bank On
With 664,748,714 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Fulton households during this past winter, the Fulton community relies on its 42 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 Fulton, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Bridgeport, CT and N.h.term in New Haven, CT. Then, the truck delivers the #2 heating oil to homes and businesses throughout Fulton and the surrounding area.
