Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Genesee Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homes have a host 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 families. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Genesee 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%).
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
Oil has become losing popularity in Genesee. In the 2 years since 2023, the number of households using number two heating oil dropped from 1,212,850 to 1,103,323, a 9% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Genesee
Between 2023 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel dropped 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 increased from 4,581,041 to 4,725,574, a 3% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Genesee
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Genesee. Since 2023, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 1,263,700 to 1,365,710, a 8% 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 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 Genesee are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 47% gain from 2023, when 11,208 homes had 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 number two heating oil usage changes annually as winter conditions change. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ furnaces need to burn additional oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. 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 families heating with oil, selecting which of the 5 heating oil companies that serve Genesee plays a big role in determining how much money is spent on heating each winter.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who value a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick 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 households annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic heating oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s number two 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 clients who are looking to save money. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the fuel oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. Examples of 2 Genesee cash heating oil companies serving Genesee include Olear's Inc and Francis W King Petroleum Products.
Genesee Heating Oil Company Statistics: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Genesee: 5 companies .
Average Number of Genesee Homes Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 220665
Genesee Heating Oil Delivery Overview
1,103,323 houses in Genesee heat their homes with number two heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Genesee temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Genesee families 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 Oil Companies Serving The Community
With 664,748,714 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Genesee homes during this past winter, the Genesee community looks to its 9 oil companies to keep warm throughout the winter. 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 #2 heating oil to residences and companies throughout Genesee and the surrounding area.
