Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Lewis Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Residences have a host of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Lewis, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of households. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Lewis families 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%).
Lewis 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 Lewis
Fuel oil has become less popular in Lewis. In the 3 years since 2022, the number of homeowners using fuel oil dropped from 1,279,260 to 1,103,323, a 14% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Lewis
Between 2022 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel declined from 400,969 to 377,922, a 6% change. Comparing 2022 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 4,542,443 to 4,725,574, a 4% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Lewis
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Lewis. Since 2022, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 1,190,880 to 1,365,710, a 15% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Lewis
The most eco-friendly heating option is solar. 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. Today, 16,434 homes in Lewis are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 45% gain from 2022, when 11,314 homes incorporated active solar heating.
Lewis County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Lewis County homeowners purchased a total of 76,623 gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Lewis’s overall oil use fluctuates from year to year correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ furnaces need to burn more and more heating oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Lewis was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Lewis County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 28.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 33.5° F |
Lewis County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Lewis households heating with fuel oil, selecting which of the 3 heating oil companies that serve Lewis 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 select one of the 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Lewis. Full service companies such as or offer families annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s 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 heating oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. Some of the 2 Lewis cash heating oil companies serving Lewis include Philly Fuels Inc and Christman Fuel Service Inc.
Lewis Heating Oil Company By The Numbers: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Lewis: 3 companies .
Average Number of Lewis Homes Served per Fuel Oil company : 367774
Lewis Heating Oil Delivery Overview
1,103,323 households in Lewis heat their homes with heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Lewis temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Lewis families rely on fuel oil delivery each winter.
7% of Lewis County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Lewis County Households | Lewis County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 15.6M | 1.1M |
3 Lewis Oil Companies Go The Distance
With 664,748,714 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Lewis homeowners the last heating season, the Lewis community relies on its 3 oil companies when temperatures dip. Oil delivery can be summed up in two steps: First, an oil truck picks up oil at the nearest bulk fuel terminal (also known as a “rack”). In the case of Lewis, 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 Lewis and the surrounding vicinity.
