Families have a host of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Rockland, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of households. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Rockland 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%).

Rockland 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 Rockland

Number two heating oil has become less popular in Rockland. In the 7 years since 2018, the number of residents using oil fell from 1,459,976 to 1,103,323, a 24% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Rockland

Between 2018 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 308,020 to 377,922, a 23% change. Comparing 2018 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel increased from 4,397,917 to 4,725,574, a 7% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Rockland

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Rockland. Since 2018, the number of homes heating with electricity grew from 890,554 to 1,365,710, a 53% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Rockland

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 Rockland are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 173% gain from 2018, when 6,022 homes incorporated active solar heating.

Rockland County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Rockland County homeowners purchased a total of 2 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Rockland’s overall oil consumption changes each year correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ boilers need to burn more and more number two heating oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Rockland was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Rockland County Average Winter Temperature

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

Rockland County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Rockland families heating with oil, choosing which of the 109 heating oil companies that serve Rockland is an important decision.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who want a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 765 “full-service” oil companies that serve Rockland. Full service companies such as Plitnick Home Fuel & Service Co LLC or Superior Fuel Oil Inc offer families annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic oil delivery and furnace repair. With an automatic heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s heating oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The family 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 customers who are on a budget. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the heating oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when you're running low. A few of the 2 Rockland cash heating oil companies serving Rockland include Emergency Services Fuel Corp and Capital Fuel Transportation Corp.

Rockland Oil Company Fast Facts: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Rockland: 109 companies .
Average Number of Rockland Houses Served per Fuel Oil company : 10122

Rockland Heating Oil Delivery Overview

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

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

Rockland County Households	Rockland County Heating Oil Households
15.6M	1.1M

1231 Rockland Fuel Oil Companies Homeowners Can Count On

With 664,748,714 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Rockland houses the last heating season, the Rockland community depends on its 1231 oil companies to keep warm throughout the winter. Oil delivery can be summed up in two steps: First, an oil truck picks up oil at the nearest bulk fuel terminal (also known as a “rack”). In the case of Rockland, 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 residences and companies throughout Rockland and the surrounding vicinity.

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