Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Yates Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homeowners 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 homeowners. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Yates households 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%).
Yates 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 Yates
Fuel oil has become losing popularity in Yates. In the 2 years since 2023, the number of households using heating oil dipped from 1,212,850 to 1,103,323, a 9% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Yates
Between 2023 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel dropped 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 Yates
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Yates. Since 2023, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 1,263,700 to 1,365,710, a 8% 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 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. Currently, 16,434 homes in Yates are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 47% gain from 2023, when 11,208 homes used 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 heating oil use changes yearly correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ furnaces need to burn increasing amounts of oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. 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 families heating with heating oil, choosing 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 can afford 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 homeowners annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic oil delivery and boiler repair. With an automatic fuel 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: Often called “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for clients who are on a budget. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the fuel oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order either when the level runs low or just before a major snowstorm. Examples of 1 Yates cash heating oil companies serving Yates include Rushco Incorporated and .
Yates Oil Company Statistics: Fuel oil Companies Serving Yates: 1 companies .
Average Number of Yates Homes Served per Number Two Heating 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 residences 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 homes last winter, the Yates community relies 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 region.
