Residences have a choice of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most popular choice in Sullivan, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of families. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Sullivan residents 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%).

Sullivan 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 Sullivan

Oil has become less popular in Sullivan. In the 2 years since 2023, the number of residents using fuel oil decreased from 1,212,850 to 1,103,323, a 9% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Sullivan

Between 2023 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel fell from 402,335 to 377,922, a 6% change. Comparing 2023 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 4,581,041 to 4,725,574, a 3% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Sullivan

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Sullivan. Since 2023, the number of homes heating with electricity grew from 1,263,700 to 1,365,710, a 8% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Sullivan

Out of all fuels, solar is the safest for the environment. 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. Now, 16,434 homes in Sullivan are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 47% gain from 2023, when 11,208 homes incorporated active solar heating.

Sullivan County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Sullivan County homeowners purchased a total of 7 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Sullivan’s overall fuel oil usage changes yearly depending on winter temperatures. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ heating systems need to burn more and more oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Sullivan was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Sullivan County Average Winter Temperature

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

Sullivan County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Sullivan residences heating with fuel oil, picking which of the 29 heating oil companies that serve Sullivan is an important decision.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who want a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 190 “full-service” oil companies that serve Sullivan. Full service companies such as Orange Energy Inc or JusSar Fuel Inc offer clients annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic fuel 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 budget-conscious. 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. A few of the 2 Sullivan cash heating oil companies serving Sullivan include Big O Inc and Penguin Energy Corp.

Sullivan Fuel Oil Company Statistics: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Sullivan: 29 companies .
Average Number of Sullivan Households Served per Fuel Oil company : 38046

Sullivan Heating Oil Delivery Overview

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

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

Sullivan County Households	Sullivan County Heating Oil Households
15.6M	1.1M

525 Sullivan Heating Oil Companies Go The Distance

With 664,748,714 gallons of number two heating oil delivered to Sullivan houses during this past winter, the Sullivan community relies on its 525 oil companies to keep warm throughout the winter. 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 Sullivan, 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 Sullivan and the surrounding region.

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