Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Schoharie Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Residences have a host of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most popular choice in Schoharie, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of families. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Schoharie households is Electricity, used by 1,365,710 homes (18%). The rest of the homes are heated with Heating Oil (14%), Propane (5%), Other (1%), and Wood (1%).
Schoharie 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 Schoharie
Oil has become less popular in Schoharie. In the 1 years since 2024, the number of households using number two heating oil dropped from 1,143,783 to 1,103,323, a 4% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Schoharie
Between 2024 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel shot up 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 increased from 4,679,558 to 4,725,574, a 1% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Schoharie
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Schoharie. Since 2024, the number of homes heating with electricity jumped from 1,292,868 to 1,365,710, a 6% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Schoharie
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. As it stands today, 16,434 homes in Schoharie are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 8% gain from 2024, when 15,259 homes utilized active solar heating.
Schoharie County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Schoharie County homeowners purchased a total of 3 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Schoharie’s overall fuel oil use fluctuates each year correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, 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 Schoharie was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Schoharie County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 28.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 33.5° F |
Schoharie County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Schoharie homes heating with fuel oil, choosing which of the 22 heating oil companies that serve Schoharie 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 63 “full-service” oil companies that serve Schoharie. Full service companies such as Pne Transportation Inc Egelston Oil Company or Grantier Oil Company Inc offer clients annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s number two heating oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The client 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 families who are looking to save money. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower 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 Schoharie cash heating oil companies serving Schoharie include Countryside Management Corp Countryside Fuels and A & M Middleburgh Oil LLC.
Schoharie Fuel Oil Company Fast Facts: Oil Companies Serving Schoharie: 22 companies .
Average Number of Schoharie Houses Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 50151
Schoharie Heating Oil Delivery Overview
1,103,323 residences in Schoharie heat their homes with fuel oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Schoharie temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Schoharie homes rely on fuel oil delivery each winter.
7% of Schoharie County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Schoharie County Households | Schoharie County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 15.6M | 1.1M |
145 Schoharie Heating Oil Companies You Can Bank On
With 664,748,714 gallons of oil delivered to Schoharie homes last winter, the Schoharie community looks to its 145 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. 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 Schoharie, 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 Schoharie and the surrounding region.
