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Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Otsego Home Heating Fuel Comparison

Families have a host of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most popular choice in Otsego, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of households. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Otsego 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%).

Otsego County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (in Number of Households)

YearNatural GasPropaneElectricityOilWoodSolarOther
20254,725,574377,9221,365,7101,103,32392,05416,434100,232
20244,679,558370,9101,292,8681,143,78396,14715,25997,524
20234,581,041402,3351,263,7001,212,850100,01511,208104,369
20224,542,443400,9691,190,8801,279,26099,08011,314103,810
20214,489,009388,3111,118,0151,293,770108,2028,85898,952
20204,504,504353,9441,014,7301,343,665111,1068,77889,024
20194,519,999319,576911,4451,393,560114,0118,69779,096
20184,397,917308,020890,5541,459,976120,1596,02282,621
20174,339,349294,973867,9251,496,843122,0885,98877,386
20164,227,422273,838860,8561,540,787126,8906,53579,479
20154,202,413265,224808,3701,649,860141,0163,12078,999
20144,186,666258,775770,5771,752,656145,0122,57376,963
20134,074,510259,367764,4001,802,442148,4222,52581,841
20124,044,389237,738775,3901,901,118155,6032,16861,429
20114,014,222222,634707,0161,979,067143,2872,72863,609
20103,961,085227,607676,2622,068,004143,2421,82361,664

Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Otsego

Heating oil has become losing popularity in Otsego. In the 1 years since 2024, the number of homeowners using heating oil decreased from 1,143,783 to 1,103,323, a 4% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Otsego

Between 2024 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel increased from 370,910 to 377,922, a 2% change. Comparing 2024 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 4,679,558 to 4,725,574, a 1% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Otsego

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are increasing in demand in Otsego. Since 2024, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 1,292,868 to 1,365,710, a 6% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Otsego

Solar is the most environmentally friendly of all heating fuels. 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. Currently, 16,434 homes in Otsego are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 8% gain from 2024, when 15,259 homes had active solar heating.

Otsego County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Otsego County homeowners purchased a total of 3 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Otsego’s overall number two heating oil consumption changes from year to year based on the severity of the winter. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ HVAC systems need to burn more and more number two heating oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Otsego was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Otsego County Average Winter Temperature

Heating SeasonAverage Temperature
2024 - 202528.1° F
2023 - 202433.5° F

Otsego County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Otsego households heating with oil, picking which of the 18 heating oil companies that serve Otsego plays a big role in determining how much money is spent on heating each winter.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who are willing to pay a premium for a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 70 “full-service” oil companies that serve Otsego. Full service companies such as Reinhardt Corp or Reinhardt Corp offer clients annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and furnace repair. With an automatic fuel 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 known by the names “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for clients who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the fuel 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 Otsego cash heating oil companies serving Otsego include Reese Marshall and Worcester Fuel Oil Inc Cash Oil Assoc.

Otsego Heating Oil Company Statistics: Fuel oil Companies Serving Otsego: 18 companies .
Average Number of Otsego Houses Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 61296

Otsego Heating Oil Delivery Overview

1,103,323 residences in Otsego heat their homes with heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Otsego temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Otsego houses rely on fuel oil delivery each winter.

7% of Otsego County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter

Otsego County HouseholdsOtsego County Heating Oil Households
15.6M1.1M

107 Otsego Fuel Oil Companies Go The Distance

With 664,748,714 gallons of heating oil delivered to Otsego homeowners during this past winter, the Otsego community depends on its 107 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 Otsego, 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 homes and businesses throughout Otsego and the surrounding vicinity.