Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Blair Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Residences have a choice of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Blair, used by 2,796,352 or 52% of homeowners. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Blair families is Electricity, used by 1,447,260 homes (27%). The rest of the homes are heated with Heating Oil (12%), Propane (5%), Wood (2%), and Coal (1%).
Blair County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (No. of Households)
| Year | Natural Gas | Propane | Electricity | Oil | Wood | Solar | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,796,352 | 282,182 | 1,447,260 | 663,450 | 112,270 | 7,204 | 31,146 |
| 2024 | 2,785,913 | 276,598 | 1,396,275 | 685,083 | 111,416 | 6,155 | 32,085 |
| 2023 | 2,698,411 | 278,621 | 1,389,291 | 717,601 | 111,540 | 6,964 | 44,558 |
| 2022 | 2,710,114 | 282,625 | 1,337,240 | 742,118 | 105,147 | 5,282 | 41,959 |
| 2021 | 2,677,533 | 267,454 | 1,287,322 | 760,867 | 109,832 | 4,867 | 46,436 |
| 2020 | 2,656,062 | 251,472 | 1,254,850 | 776,616 | 113,900 | 4,554 | 41,326 |
| 2019 | 2,634,591 | 235,490 | 1,222,377 | 792,365 | 117,969 | 4,241 | 36,216 |
| 2018 | 2,592,386 | 225,476 | 1,198,450 | 806,761 | 128,110 | 2,197 | 35,172 |
| 2017 | 2,598,275 | 222,650 | 1,158,937 | 790,353 | 127,198 | 2,225 | 35,586 |
| 2016 | 2,551,248 | 209,719 | 1,133,797 | 805,822 | 125,583 | 1,639 | 34,565 |
| 2015 | 2,549,385 | 200,754 | 1,103,995 | 837,082 | 141,835 | 2,117 | 38,034 |
| 2014 | 2,528,694 | 198,296 | 1,087,741 | 858,758 | 148,256 | 1,760 | 36,886 |
| 2013 | 2,516,052 | 195,799 | 1,086,074 | 870,064 | 148,597 | 1,408 | 33,941 |
| 2012 | 2,530,063 | 188,880 | 1,046,982 | 936,674 | 145,089 | 1,484 | 31,494 |
| 2011 | 2,516,883 | 178,387 | 1,019,764 | 973,749 | 137,625 | 1,545 | 28,259 |
| 2010 | 2,530,446 | 177,562 | 997,925 | 993,832 | 126,074 | 597 | 29,423 |
Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Blair
Fuel oil has become less popular in Blair. In the 3 years since 2022, the number of families using number two heating oil dropped from 742,118 to 663,450, a 11% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Blair
Between 2022 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel stayed the same at 282,182, a 0% change. Comparing 2022 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 2,710,114 to 2,796,352, a 3% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Blair
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are increasing in demand in Blair. Since 2022, the number of homes heating with electricity shot up from 1,337,240 to 1,447,260, a 8% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Blair
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. Today, 7,204 homes in Blair are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 36% gain from 2022, when 5,282 homes had active solar heating.
Blair County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Blair County homeowners purchased a total of 7 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Blair’s overall heating oil use fluctuates from year to year correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ heating systems need to burn more and more number two heating oil to keep the house warm inside. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Blair was 29.3°F, which was 5.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Blair County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 29.3° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 34.8° F |
Blair County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Blair households heating with oil, picking which of the 9 heating oil companies that serve Blair can drastically impact the cost of home heating.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who are willing to pay a premium for a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Blair. Full service companies such as or offer families annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating oil delivery and heating system 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 homeowner 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 customers who are looking to save money. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the heating oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. Some of the 2 Blair cash heating oil companies serving Blair include Jacobs Oil Co Inc and Jj Powell Inc.
Blair Heating Oil Company Statistics: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Blair: 9 companies .
Average Number of Blair Houses Served per Fuel Oil company : 73717
Blair Heating Oil Delivery Overview
663,450 homes in Blair heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Blair temperatures drop as low as 23.2° F each winter. 12.3% of Blair homes depend on number two heating oil delivery each winter.
6.1% of Blair County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Blair County Households | Blair County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 10.7M | 663,450 |
55 Blair Heating Oil Companies You Can Trust
With 507,486,889 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Blair homeowners last winter, the Blair community relies on its 55 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 Blair, two of the closest terminals are Ergon in Newell, PA and Etmt in Blawnox, PA. Then, the truck delivers the number two heating oil to homes and businesses throughout Blair and the surrounding region.
