Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Livingston Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homes have a choice of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Livingston, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of homeowners. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Livingston 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%).
Livingston 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 Livingston
Heating oil has become decreasing in demand in Livingston. In the 6 years since 2019, the number of homeowners using number two heating oil dropped from 1,393,560 to 1,103,323, a 21% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Livingston
Between 2019 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel grew from 319,576 to 377,922, a 18% change. Comparing 2019 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 4,519,999 to 4,725,574, a 5% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Livingston
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Livingston. Since 2019, the number of homes heating with electricity increased from 911,445 to 1,365,710, a 50% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Livingston
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. Now, 16,434 homes in Livingston are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 89% gain from 2019, when 8,697 homes had active solar heating.
Livingston County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Livingston County homeowners purchased a total of 129,151 gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Livingston’s overall fuel oil use fluctuates from year to year based on the severity of the winter. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ furnaces need to burn increasing amounts of number two heating oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Livingston was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Livingston County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 28.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 33.5° F |
Livingston County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Livingston homes heating with number two heating oil, selecting which of the 2 heating oil companies that serve Livingston plays a big role in determining how much money is spent on heating each winter.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 1 “full-service” oil companies that serve Livingston. Full service companies such as Valley Energy Services LLC Valley Fuels or offer homeowners annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic oil delivery and furnace repair. With an automatic 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 families who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when you're running low. A few of the 1 Livingston cash heating oil companies serving Livingston include Frank T Rose Roses Enterprises and .
Livingston Fuel Oil Company Statistics: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Livingston: 2 companies .
Average Number of Livingston Homes Served per Fuel Oil company : 551662
Livingston Heating Oil Delivery Overview
1,103,323 households in Livingston heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Livingston temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Livingston residences depend on oil delivery each winter.
7% of Livingston County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Livingston County Households | Livingston County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 15.6M | 1.1M |
2 Livingston Fuel Oil Companies You Can Trust
With 664,748,714 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Livingston residences during this past winter, the Livingston community relies on its 2 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 Livingston, 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 residences and companies throughout Livingston and the surrounding region.
