Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Schenectady Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homes have a choice of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Schenectady, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of homeowners. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Schenectady homeowners is Electricity, used by 1,365,710 homes (18%). The remaining homes are heated with Heating Oil (14%), Propane (5%), Other (1%), and Wood (1%).
Schenectady 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 Schenectady
Number two heating oil has become less popular in Schenectady. In the 4 years since 2021, the number of residents using fuel oil declined from 1,293,770 to 1,103,323, a 15% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Schenectady
Between 2021 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel dropped from 388,311 to 377,922, a 3% change. Comparing 2021 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel increased from 4,489,009 to 4,725,574, a 5% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Schenectady
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Schenectady. Since 2021, the number of homes heating with electricity ramped up from 1,118,015 to 1,365,710, a 22% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Schenectady
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. Today, 16,434 homes in Schenectady are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 86% gain from 2021, when 8,858 homes had active solar heating.
Schenectady County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Schenectady County homeowners purchased a total of 3 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Schenectady’s overall fuel oil use fluctuates each year as winter conditions change. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ boilers need to burn additional heating oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Schenectady was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Schenectady County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 28.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 33.5° F |
Schenectady County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Schenectady homeowners heating with fuel oil, picking which of the 41 heating oil companies that serve Schenectady makes a big difference.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 64 “full-service” oil companies that serve Schenectady. Full service companies such as A-Star Oil LLC or Wever Petroleum Inc offer clients annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating oil delivery and furnace 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 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 families 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 either when the level runs low or just before a major snowstorm. Examples of 2 Schenectady cash heating oil companies serving Schenectady include J H Buhrmaster Company Inc and MainCare Express.
Schenectady Oil Company By The Numbers: Heating oil Companies Serving Schenectady: 41 companies .
Average Number of Schenectady Houses Served per Heating Oil company : 26910
Schenectady Heating Oil Delivery Overview
1,103,323 houses in Schenectady heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Schenectady temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Schenectady homes depend on heating oil delivery each winter.
7% of Schenectady County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Schenectady County Households | Schenectady County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 15.6M | 1.1M |
143 Schenectady Oil Companies Homeowners Can Count On
With 664,748,714 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Schenectady homes the last heating season, the Schenectady community relies on its 143 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. 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 Schenectady, 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 residences and companies throughout Schenectady and the surrounding region.
