Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Oswego Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homes have a variety of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Oswego, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of families. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Oswego 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%).
Oswego 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 Oswego
Number two heating oil has become less popular in Oswego. In the 10 years since 2015, the number of families using heating oil declined from 1,649,860 to 1,103,323, a 33% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Oswego
Between 2015 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 265,224 to 377,922, a 42% change. Comparing 2015 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel rose from 4,202,413 to 4,725,574, a 12% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Oswego
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Oswego. Since 2015, the number of homes heating with electricity increased from 808,370 to 1,365,710, a 69% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Oswego
Out of all fuels, solar is the safest for the environment. 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. As it stands today, 16,434 homes in Oswego are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 427% gain from 2015, when 3,120 homes utilized active solar heating.
Oswego County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Oswego County homeowners purchased a total of 1 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Oswego’s overall fuel oil usage varies each year as winter conditions change. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ furnaces need to burn increasing amounts of fuel oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Oswego was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Oswego County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 28.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 33.5° F |
Oswego County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Oswego homes heating with oil, choosing which of the 5 heating oil companies that serve Oswego can drastically impact the cost of home heating.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who want a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 1 “full-service” oil companies that serve Oswego. Full service companies such as Hoffman Fuel Company Of Danbury or offer customers annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic heating oil delivery and boiler 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 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 customers who are looking to save money. With discount oil companies, in return for better 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. Some of the 2 Oswego cash heating oil companies serving Oswego include The Glider Oil Company Inc and North Shore Oil Company Inc.
Oswego Number Two Heating Oil Company Fast Facts: Heating oil Companies Serving Oswego: 5 companies .
Average Number of Oswego Houses Served per Heating Oil company : 220665
Oswego Heating Oil Delivery Overview
1,103,323 homes in Oswego heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Oswego temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Oswego families depend on fuel oil delivery each winter.
7% of Oswego County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Oswego County Households | Oswego County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 15.6M | 1.1M |
29 Oswego Number Two Heating Oil Companies Go The Distance
With 664,748,714 gallons of heating oil delivered to Oswego homeowners during this past winter, the Oswego community depends on its 29 oil companies when temperatures dip. 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 Oswego, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Bridgeport, CT and N.h.term in New Haven, CT. Then, the truck delivers the number two heating oil to residences and companies throughout Oswego and the surrounding region.
