Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Genesee Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homes have a variety of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Genesee, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of homeowners. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Genesee residents 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%).
Genesee 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 Genesee
Number two heating oil has become losing popularity in Genesee. In the 4 years since 2021, the number of households using number two heating oil fell from 1,293,770 to 1,103,323, a 15% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Genesee
Between 2021 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel declined from 388,311 to 377,922, a 3% change. Comparing 2021 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 4,489,009 to 4,725,574, a 5% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Genesee
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Genesee. Since 2021, the number of homes heating with electricity ramped up from 1,118,015 to 1,365,710, a 22% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Genesee
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. Now, 16,434 homes in Genesee are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 86% gain from 2021, when 8,858 homes utilized active solar heating.
Genesee County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Genesee County homeowners purchased a total of 320,951 gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Genesee’s overall oil usage varies each year as winter conditions change. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ furnaces need to burn additional heating oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Genesee was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Genesee County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 28.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 33.5° F |
Genesee County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Genesee homeowners heating with fuel oil, choosing which of the 5 heating oil companies that serve Genesee can drastically impact the cost of home heating.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who value a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 6 “full-service” oil companies that serve Genesee. Full service companies such as Dave Reisdorf Inc Reisdorf Oil & Propane or Dave Reisdorf Inc Reisdorf Oil & Propane offer customers annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating oil delivery and furnace 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 homeowner 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 clients who are budget-conscious. 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 you're running low. Some of the 2 Genesee cash heating oil companies serving Genesee include Olear's Inc and Francis W King Petroleum Products.
Genesee Fuel Oil Company Statistics: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Genesee: 5 companies .
Average Number of Genesee Homes Served per Fuel Oil company : 220665
Genesee Heating Oil Delivery Overview
1,103,323 homes in Genesee heat their homes with heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Genesee temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Genesee residences depend on fuel oil delivery each winter.
7% of Genesee County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Genesee County Households | Genesee County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 15.6M | 1.1M |
9 Genesee Heating Oil Companies Serving The Community
With 664,748,714 gallons of heating oil delivered to Genesee homes last winter, the Genesee community relies on its 9 oil companies when temperatures dip. Oil delivery has two parts to it: First, an oil truck picks up oil at the nearest bulk fuel terminal (also known as a “rack”). In the case of Genesee, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Bridgeport, CT and N.h.term in New Haven, CT. Then, the truck delivers the oil to homes and businesses throughout Genesee and the surrounding vicinity.
