Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Lewis Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homes have a host of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Lewis, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of residents. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Lewis families 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%).
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
Number two heating oil has become less popular in Lewis. In the 3 years since 2022, the number of households using number two heating oil fell 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 houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel dipped 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 increased 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 gaining popularity 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 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 Lewis are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 45% gain from 2022, when 11,314 homes had 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 fuel oil usage varies each year primarily depending on how cold each winter is. As the temperature outside dips, 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 residences heating with heating oil, selecting which of the 3 heating oil companies that serve Lewis is an important decision.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Lewis. Full service companies such as or offer customers annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic heating oil delivery and heating system repair. With an automatic number two heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s fuel 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: also referred to as “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for households 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 either when the level runs low or just before a major snowstorm. Examples of 2 Lewis cash heating oil companies serving Lewis include Philly Fuels Inc and Christman Fuel Service Inc.
Lewis Oil Company Fast Facts: Heating oil Companies Serving Lewis: 3 companies .
Average Number of Lewis Households Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 367774
Lewis Heating Oil Delivery Overview
1,103,323 households in Lewis heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Lewis temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Lewis residences are reliant on heating 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 Number Two Heating Oil Companies You Can Bank On
With 664,748,714 gallons of oil delivered to Lewis houses last winter, the Lewis community relies on its 3 oil companies when temperatures dip. 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 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 area.
