Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Schoharie Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Families have a host of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Schoharie, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of homeowners. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Schoharie families 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
Fuel oil has become losing popularity in Schoharie. In the 4 years since 2021, the number of residents using fuel oil fell from 1,293,770 to 1,103,323, a 15% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Schoharie
Between 2021 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel declined 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 shot up from 4,489,009 to 4,725,574, a 5% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Schoharie
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Schoharie. Since 2021, the number of homes heating with electricity increased from 1,118,015 to 1,365,710, a 22% 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 86% gain from 2021, when 8,858 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 number two heating oil usage changes annually primarily depending on how cold each winter is. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ heating systems need to burn additional fuel oil to keep the house warm inside. 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 fuel oil, selecting which of the 22 heating oil companies that serve Schoharie can drastically impact the cost of home heating.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer 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 homeowners annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating oil delivery and heating system repair. With an automatic heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s 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: Also known by the names “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for households who are on a budget. 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. Some of the 2 Schoharie cash heating oil companies serving Schoharie include Countryside Management Corp Countryside Fuels and A & M Middleburgh Oil LLC.
Schoharie Heating Oil Company Statistics: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Schoharie: 22 companies .
Average Number of Schoharie Houses Served per Fuel 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 families are reliant on number two heating 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 the last heating season, the Schoharie community looks to its 145 oil companies when temperatures dip. 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 fuel oil to residences and companies throughout Schoharie and the surrounding region.
