Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Union Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Residences have a variety of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most popular choice in Union, used by 40,284,169 or 63% of households. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Union 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%).
Union 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 Union
Oil has become becoming less popular in Union. In the 6 years since 2019, the number of homeowners using oil dropped from 1,172,096 to 774,909, a 34% drop.
Number of Households Using Heating Oil in Union 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 Union
Between 2019 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 3,020,916 to 3,081,795, a 2% change. Comparing 2019 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel rose from 36,840,178 to 40,284,169, a 9% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Union
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more prevalent in Union. Since 2019, the number of homes heating with electricity ramped up from 13,561,816 to 17,850,536, a 32% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Union
Out of all fuels, solar is the safest for the environment. 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. As it stands today, 10,860 homes in Union are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 9% drop from 2019, when 11,917 homes had active solar heating.
Union County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Union County homeowners purchased a total of 65,867 gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Union’s overall number two heating oil usage varies ,annually annually. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ furnaces need to burn increasing amounts of heating oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Union was 30°F, which was 1°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Union County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 29° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 29° F |
Union County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Union residences heating with heating oil, choosing which of the 2 heating oil companies that serve Union can drastically impact the cost of home heating.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Union. Full service companies such as or offer families annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic heating 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: Often called “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for homeowners who are looking to save money. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. Some of the 2 Union cash heating oil companies serving Union include Smart Oil Inc and McWherter Fuel Depot.
Union Fuel Oil Company Statistics: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Union: 2 companies .
Average Number of Union Households Served per company Heating Oil: 104
Union Heating Oil Delivery Overview
211,698 homes in Union heat their homes with heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Union temperatures drop as low as 30° F each winter. 1% of Union homes are reliant on number two heating oil delivery each winter.
0.83% of Union County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Union County Households | Union County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 12,547 | 104 |
2 Union Fuel Oil Companies You Can Trust With 63,347,966.682 gallons of oil delivered to Union houses during this past winter, the Union community relies on its 2 oil companies to keep warm throughout the winter. 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 Union, two of the closest terminals are Citgo in Linden, NJ and Citgo in Linden, NJ. Then, the truck delivers the fuel oil to homes and businesses throughout Union and the surrounding vicinity.
