Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Onondaga 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 Onondaga, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of families. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Onondaga residents 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%).
Onondaga 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 Onondaga
Number two heating oil has become less popular in Onondaga. In the 12 years since 2013, the number of families using heating oil declined from 1,802,442 to 1,103,323, a 39% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Onondaga
Between 2013 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 259,367 to 377,922, a 46% change. Comparing 2013 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel grew from 4,074,510 to 4,725,574, a 16% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Onondaga
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Onondaga. Since 2013, the number of homes heating with electricity shot up from 764,400 to 1,365,710, a 79% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Onondaga
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. Currently, 16,434 homes in Onondaga are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 551% gain from 2013, when 2,525 homes utilized active solar heating.
Onondaga County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Onondaga County homeowners purchased a total of 256,857 gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Onondaga’s overall oil usage fluctuates each year correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ HVAC systems 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 Onondaga was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Onondaga County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 28.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 33.5° F |
Onondaga County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Onondaga residences heating with heating oil, choosing which of the 3 heating oil companies that serve Onondaga can drastically impact the cost of home heating.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who can afford a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 1 “full-service” oil companies that serve Onondaga. Full service companies such as E And V Energy Corporation or offer households 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 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 known by the names “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for homeowners who are on a budget. With discount oil companies, in return for better 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. A few of the 2 Onondaga cash heating oil companies serving Onondaga include Ron Bush Oil Inc and Ron Bush Oil Inc.
Onondaga Heating Oil Company Fast Facts: Heating oil Companies Serving Onondaga: 3 companies .
Average Number of Onondaga Households Served per Fuel Oil company : 367774
Onondaga Heating Oil Delivery Overview
1,103,323 houses in Onondaga heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Onondaga temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Onondaga households rely on number two heating oil delivery each winter.
7% of Onondaga County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Onondaga County Households | Onondaga County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 15.6M | 1.1M |
4 Onondaga Number Two Heating Oil Companies You Can Bank On
With 664,748,714 gallons of number two heating oil delivered to Onondaga homeowners last winter, the Onondaga community relies on its 4 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 Onondaga, 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 homes and businesses throughout Onondaga and the surrounding vicinity.
