Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Lake Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Families have a choice of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Lake, used by 40,284,169 or 63% of families. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Lake families is Electricity, used by 17,850,536 homes (28%). The rest of the homes are heated with Propane (5%), Wood (2%), Heating Oil (1%), and Other (1%).
Lake County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (in Number of Households)
| Date | Natural Gas | Propane | Electricity | Oil | Wood | Solar | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 40284169 | 3081795 | 17850536 | 774909 | 1083121 | 10860 | 403836 |
| 2024 | 38930705 | 3174414 | 16488724 | 892843 | 979276 | 17062 | 417066 |
| 2023 | 37590944 | 3255196 | 15199404 | 1008409 | 880848 | 22803 | 427844 |
| 2022 | 37151905 | 3221760 | 14587823 | 1065149 | 866531 | 20673 | 438560 |
| 2021 | 37128867 | 3134944 | 14211401 | 1100859 | 903769 | 15657 | 445157 |
| 2020 | 37003382 | 3083444 | 13869204 | 1132851 | 942478 | 13449 | 450995 |
| 2019 | 36840178 | 3020916 | 13561816 | 1172096 | 978933 | 11917 | 457127 |
| 2018 | 36767219 | 2943873 | 13286860 | 1206655 | 1014383 | 11247 | 453770 |
| 2017 | 36733211 | 2903335 | 13055094 | 1235021 | 1047439 | 11038 | 444277 |
| 2016 | 36623358 | 2883233 | 12814934 | 1270071 | 1069881 | 11466 | 436330 |
| 2015 | 36586577 | 2871736 | 12538674 | 1324701 | 1085024 | 12269 | 422257 |
| 2014 | 36648643 | 2877547 | 12236610 | 1394959 | 1100515 | 11920 | 402497 |
| 2013 | 36700523 | 2911451 | 11934916 | 1470260 | 1109606 | 11282 | 384399 |
| 2012 | 36842930 | 2965805 | 11629674 | 1548843 | 1094960 | 10751 | 370550 |
| 2011 | 37027467 | 3013572 | 11342268 | 1639364 | 1055619 | 10419 | 359450 |
| 2010 | 37193755 | 3071292 | 11063784 | 1752123 | 1007864 | 11729 | 360649 |
Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Lake
Heating oil has become losing popularity in Lake. In the 9 years since 2016, the number of families using fuel oil dropped from 1,270,071 to 774,909, a 39% drop.
Number of Households Using Heating Oil in Lake County
| Date | Households |
|---|---|
| 2025-11-11 | 61948 |
| 2025-11-10 | 61953 |
| 2025-11-09 | 61959 |
| 2025-11-08 | 61965 |
| 2025-11-07 | 62013 |
| 2025-11-06 | 62017 |
| 2025-11-05 | 62028 |
| 2025-11-04 | 62038 |
| 2025-11-03 | 62061 |
| 2025-11-02 | 62071 |
| 2025-11-01 | 62078 |
| 2025-10-31 | 62077 |
| 2025-10-30 | 62078 |
| 2025-10-29 | 62079 |
| 2025-10-28 | 62085 |
| 2025-10-27 | 62099 |
| 2025-10-26 | 62119 |
| 2025-10-25 | 62135 |
| 2025-10-24 | 62147 |
| 2025-10-23 | 62155 |
| 2025-10-22 | 62205 |
| 2025-10-21 | 62213 |
| 2025-10-20 | 62220 |
| 2025-10-19 | 62228 |
| 2025-10-18 | 62242 |
| 2025-10-17 | 62249 |
| 2025-10-16 | 62253 |
| 2025-10-15 | 62318 |
| 2025-10-14 | 62386 |
| 2025-10-13 | 62390 |
| 2025-10-12 | 62397 |
| 2025-10-11 | 62411 |
| 2025-10-10 | 62419 |
| 2025-10-09 | 62427 |
| 2025-10-08 | 62434 |
| 2025-10-07 | 62484 |
| 2025-10-06 | 62492 |
| 2025-10-05 | 62508 |
| 2025-10-04 | 62520 |
| 2025-10-03 | 62539 |
| 2025-10-02 | 62554 |
| 2025-10-01 | 62560 |
| 2025-09-30 | 62561 |
| 2025-09-29 | 62562 |
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Lake
Between 2016 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 2,883,233 to 3,081,795, a 7% change. Comparing 2016 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 36,623,358 to 40,284,169, a 10% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Lake
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Lake. Since 2016, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 12,814,934 to 17,850,536, a 39% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Lake
The most eco-friendly heating option is solar. 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. Now, 10,860 homes in Lake are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 5% drop from 2016, when 11,466 homes used active solar heating.
Lake County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Lake families heating with number two heating oil, picking which of the 5 heating oil companies that serve Lake makes a big difference.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who want a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Lake. Full service companies such as or offer households annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic heating oil delivery and boiler repair. With an automatic 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 looking to save money. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the fuel oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. Examples of 2 Lake cash heating oil companies serving Lake include MELZERS FUEL SERVICE and Great Lakes Petroleum Co.
Lake Heating Oil Company By The Numbers: Fuel oil Companies Serving Lake: 5 companies . Average Number of Lake Households Served per Fuel Oil company : 1132
Lake Heating Oil Delivery Overview
211,698 houses in Lake heat their homes with fuel oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Lake temperatures drop as low as 30° F each winter. 1% of Lake families are reliant on heating oil delivery each winter.
0.68% of Lake County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Lake County Households | Lake County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 1.1M | 8,168 |
28 Lake Fuel Oil Companies Homeowners Can Count On
With 63,347,966.682 gallons of number two heating oil delivered to Lake houses the last heating season, the Lake community depends on its 28 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 Lake, two of the closest terminals are Citgo in Linden, NJ and Citgo in Linden, NJ. Then, the truck delivers the fuel oil to residences and companies throughout Lake and the surrounding region.
