Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Yates Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Families have a variety of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most popular choice in Yates, used by 4,725,574 or 61% of households. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Yates homeowners 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%).
Yates 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 Yates
Heating oil has become less frequently used in Yates. In the 11 years since 2014, the number of families using heating oil fell from 1,752,656 to 1,103,323, a 37% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Yates
Between 2014 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 258,775 to 377,922, a 46% change. Comparing 2014 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel rose from 4,186,666 to 4,725,574, a 13% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Yates
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Yates. Since 2014, the number of homes heating with electricity jumped from 770,577 to 1,365,710, a 77% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Yates
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 Yates are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 539% gain from 2014, when 2,573 homes utilized active solar heating.
Yates County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Yates County homeowners purchased a total of 16,867 gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Yates’s overall oil consumption varies from year to year primarily depending on how cold each winter is. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ HVAC systems need to burn additional oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Yates was 28.1°F, which was 5.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Yates County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 28.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 33.5° F |
Yates County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Yates residences heating with fuel oil, picking which of the 1 heating oil companies that serve Yates plays a big role in determining how much money is spent on heating each winter.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who want a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Yates. Full service companies such as or offer customers annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic heating oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s number two heating 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: Often called “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for homeowners who are on a budget. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when you're running low. Examples of 1 Yates cash heating oil companies serving Yates include Rushco Incorporated and .
Yates Oil Company Statistics: Oil Companies Serving Yates: 1 companies .
Average Number of Yates Houses Served per Fuel Oil company : 1103323
Yates Heating Oil Delivery Overview
1,103,323 residences in Yates heat their homes with number two heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Yates temperatures drop as low as 22.4° F each winter. 14.2% of Yates households rely on fuel oil delivery each winter.
7% of Yates County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Yates County Households | Yates County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 15.6M | 1.1M |
1 Yates Number Two Heating Oil Companies You Can Bank On
With 664,748,714 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Yates families last winter, the Yates community depends on its 1 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 Yates, 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 Yates and the surrounding area.
