Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Wood Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Households have a host of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Wood, used by 40,284,169 or 63% of homeowners. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Wood residents is Electricity, used by 17,850,536 homes (28%). The other homes are heated with Propane (5%), Wood (2%), Heating Oil (1%), and Other (1%).
Wood 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 Wood
Heating oil has become less frequently used in Wood. In the 10 years since 2015, the number of residents using oil fell from 1,324,701 to 774,909, a 42% drop.
Number of Households Using Heating Oil in Wood 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 Wood
Between 2015 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 2,871,736 to 3,081,795, a 7% change. Comparing 2015 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 36,586,577 to 40,284,169, a 10% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Wood
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more prevalent in Wood. Since 2015, the number of homes heating with electricity shot up from 12,538,674 to 17,850,536, a 42% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Wood
The most eco-friendly heating option is solar. 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. Currently, 10,860 homes in Wood are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 11% drop from 2015, when 12,269 homes utilized active solar heating.
Wood County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Wood County homeowners purchased a total of 215,334 gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Wood’s overall heating oil use varies each year correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ furnaces need to burn additional oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Wood was 30°F, which was 0.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Wood County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 28.8° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 28° F |
Wood County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Wood families heating with fuel oil, choosing which of the 2 heating oil companies that serve Wood makes a big difference.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who want a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Wood. Full service companies such as or offer families annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and boiler repair. With an automatic 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: Also known by the names “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for households 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 either when the level runs low or just before a major snowstorm. Examples of 2 Wood cash heating oil companies serving Wood include Lyden Oil Company and RELIANCE ENERGY.
Wood Oil Company Fast Facts: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Wood: 2 companies . Average Number of Wood Households Served per Heating Oil company : 340
Wood Heating Oil Delivery Overview
211,698 homes in Wood heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Wood temperatures drop as low as 30° F each winter. 1% of Wood homes are reliant on heating oil delivery each winter.
0.18% of Wood County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Wood County Households | Wood County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 1.7M | 3,185 |
4 Wood Heating Oil Companies Go The Distance
With 63,347,966.682 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Wood households the last heating season, the Wood community relies on its 4 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. Oil delivery is a two step process: First, an oil truck picks up oil at the nearest bulk fuel terminal (also known as a “rack”). In the case of Wood, two of the closest terminals are Citgo in Linden, NJ and Citgo in Linden, NJ. Then, the truck delivers the oil to residences and companies throughout Wood and the surrounding region.
