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Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Westchester Home Heating Fuel Comparison

Homes have a variety of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most popular choice in Westchester, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of households. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Westchester families 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%).

Westchester County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (No. of Households)

YearNatural GasPropaneElectricityOilWoodSolarOther
20254,725,574377,9221,365,7101,103,32392,05416,434100,232
20244,679,558370,9101,292,8681,143,78396,14715,25997,524
20234,581,041402,3351,263,7001,212,850100,01511,208104,369
20224,542,443400,9691,190,8801,279,26099,08011,314103,810
20214,489,009388,3111,118,0151,293,770108,2028,85898,952
20204,504,504353,9441,014,7301,343,665111,1068,77889,024
20194,519,999319,576911,4451,393,560114,0118,69779,096
20184,397,917308,020890,5541,459,976120,1596,02282,621
20174,339,349294,973867,9251,496,843122,0885,98877,386
20164,227,422273,838860,8561,540,787126,8906,53579,479
20154,202,413265,224808,3701,649,860141,0163,12078,999
20144,186,666258,775770,5771,752,656145,0122,57376,963
20134,074,510259,367764,4001,802,442148,4222,52581,841
20124,044,389237,738775,3901,901,118155,6032,16861,429
20114,014,222222,634707,0161,979,067143,2872,72863,609
20103,961,085227,607676,2622,068,004143,2421,82361,664

Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Westchester

Heating oil has become less popular in Westchester. In the 7 years since 2018, the number of families using number two heating oil fell from 1,459,976 to 1,103,323, a 24% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Westchester

Between 2018 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel grew from 308,020 to 377,922, a 23% change. Comparing 2018 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 4,397,917 to 4,725,574, a 7% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Westchester

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more prevalent in Westchester. Since 2018, the number of homes heating with electricity grew from 890,554 to 1,365,710, a 53% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Westchester

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 Westchester are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 173% gain from 2018, when 6,022 homes used active solar heating.

Westchester County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Westchester County homeowners purchased a total of 57 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Westchester’s overall fuel oil consumption changes from year to year correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ furnaces need to burn increasing amounts of number two heating oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Westchester was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Westchester County Average Winter Temperature

Heating SeasonAverage Temperature
2024 - 202528.1° F
2023 - 202433.5° F

Westchester County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Westchester residences heating with fuel oil, picking which of the 157 heating oil companies that serve Westchester is an important decision.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 2315 “full-service” oil companies that serve Westchester. Full service companies such as Superior Fuel Oil Inc or Action Fuel Oil Corp offer families annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and boiler repair. With an automatic heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s fuel 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 homeowners who are on a budget. 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 the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. A few of the 2 Westchester cash heating oil companies serving Westchester include Emergency Services Fuel Corp and Prestige Oil Inc.

Westchester Heating Oil Company Fast Facts: Heating oil Companies Serving Westchester: 157 companies .
Average Number of Westchester Homes Served per Fuel Oil company : 7028

Westchester Heating Oil Delivery Overview

1,103,323 families in Westchester heat their homes with number two heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Westchester temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Westchester houses depend on number two heating oil delivery each winter.

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

Westchester County HouseholdsWestchester County Heating Oil Households
15.6M1.1M

3889 Westchester Number Two Heating Oil Companies You Can Bank On

With 664,748,714 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Westchester homes the last heating season, the Westchester community depends on its 3889 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 Westchester, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Bridgeport, CT and N.h.term in New Haven, CT. Then, the truck delivers the #2 heating oil to homes and businesses throughout Westchester and the surrounding region.