Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Schoharie Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Households have a choice of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most popular choice in Schoharie, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of residents. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Schoharie families 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%).
Schoharie 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 Schoharie
Heating oil has become less popular in Schoharie. In the 10 years since 2015, the number of residents using heating oil dropped from 1,649,860 to 1,103,323, a 33% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Schoharie
Between 2015 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel ramped up 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 shot up from 4,202,413 to 4,725,574, a 12% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Schoharie
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Schoharie. Since 2015, the number of homes heating with electricity shot up from 808,370 to 1,365,710, a 69% 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. Currently, 16,434 homes in Schoharie are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 427% gain from 2015, when 3,120 homes used 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 oil usage changes from year to year depending on winter temperatures. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ HVAC systems need to burn increasing amounts of 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 families heating with heating oil, picking which of the 22 heating oil companies that serve Schoharie can drastically impact the cost of home heating.
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 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 families annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and boiler repair. With an automatic number two heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s heating 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: also referred to as “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for customers who are looking to save money. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the heating oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when you're running low. 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 Statistics: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Schoharie: 22 companies .
Average Number of Schoharie Houses Served per 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 residences 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 Number Two Heating Oil Companies Go The Distance
With 664,748,714 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Schoharie homeowners last winter, the Schoharie community depends on its 145 oil companies when temperatures dip. 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 Schoharie, 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 Schoharie and the surrounding vicinity.
