Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Queens 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 Queens, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of households. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Queens 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%).

Queens 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 Queens

Heating oil has become less frequently used in Queens. In the 10 years since 2015, the number of homeowners using oil fell from 1,649,860 to 1,103,323, a 33% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Queens

Between 2015 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel increased 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 increased from 4,202,413 to 4,725,574, a 12% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Queens

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Queens. Since 2015, the number of homes heating with electricity jumped from 808,370 to 1,365,710, a 69% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Queens

Out of all fuels, solar is the safest for the environment. 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 Queens are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 427% gain from 2015, when 3,120 homes had active solar heating.

Queens County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Queens County homeowners purchased a total of 46 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Queens’s overall fuel oil usage fluctuates each year depending on winter temperatures. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ heating systems need to burn additional oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Queens was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Queens County Average Winter Temperature

Heating Season	Average Temperature
2024 - 2025	28.1° F
2023 - 2024	33.5° F

Queens County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Queens homes heating with heating oil, selecting which of the 237 heating oil companies that serve Queens is an important decision.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 1889 “full-service” oil companies that serve Queens. Full service companies such as Plitnick Home Fuel & Service Co LLC or Nrg Heat & Power LLC offer homeowners annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic 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: Often called “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for homeowners 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 2 Queens cash heating oil companies serving Queens include Ronco Oil Inc and TDR Heating Corp.

Queens Oil Company Fast Facts: Fuel oil Companies Serving Queens: 237 companies .
Average Number of Queens Houses Served per Heating Oil company : 4655

Queens Heating Oil Delivery Overview

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

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

Queens County Households	Queens County Heating Oil Households
15.6M	1.1M

3967 Queens Number Two Heating Oil Companies Go The Distance

With 664,748,714 gallons of number two heating oil delivered to Queens families the last heating season, the Queens community depends on its 3967 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. 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 Queens, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Bridgeport, CT and N.h.term in New Haven, CT. Then, the truck delivers the #2 heating oil to homes and businesses throughout Queens and the surrounding vicinity.