Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Bradford Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homes have a host of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most popular choice in Bradford, used by 2,796,352 or 52% of residents. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Bradford households is Electricity, used by 1,447,260 homes (27%). The remaining homes are heated with Heating Oil (12%), Propane (5%), Wood (2%), and Coal (1%).
Bradford 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 Bradford
Heating oil has become less frequently used in Bradford. In the 12 years since 2013, the number of households using heating oil declined from 870,064 to 663,450, a 24% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Bradford
Between 2013 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 195,799 to 282,182, a 44% change. Comparing 2013 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel rose from 2,516,052 to 2,796,352, a 11% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Bradford
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Bradford. Since 2013, the number of homes heating with electricity grew from 1,086,074 to 1,447,260, a 33% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Bradford
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. Now, 7,204 homes in Bradford are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 412% gain from 2013, when 1,408 homes utilized active solar heating.
Bradford County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Bradford County homeowners purchased a total of 653,032 gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Bradford’s overall heating oil consumption varies each year correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ HVAC systems need to burn more and more heating oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Bradford was 29.3°F, which was 5.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Bradford County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 29.3° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 34.8° F |
Bradford County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Bradford households heating with oil, selecting which of the 3 heating oil companies that serve Bradford can drastically impact the cost of home heating.
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 Bradford. Full service companies such as or offer households annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic oil delivery and HVAC 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: also referred to as “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for customers 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 when you're running low. A few of the 2 Bradford cash heating oil companies serving Bradford include Flynn Energy Transport and Hinds Online Discount.
Bradford Oil Company Fast Facts: Oil Companies Serving Bradford: 3 companies .
Average Number of Bradford Households Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 221150
Bradford Heating Oil Delivery Overview
663,450 houses in Bradford heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Bradford temperatures drop as low as 23.2° F each winter. 12.3% of Bradford houses are reliant on heating oil delivery each winter.
6.1% of Bradford County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Bradford County Households | Bradford County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 10.7M | 663,450 |
7 Bradford Heating Oil Companies Go The Distance
With 507,486,889 gallons of number two heating oil delivered to Bradford homeowners during this past winter, the Bradford community depends on its 7 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 Bradford, two of the closest terminals are Ergon in Newell, PA and Etmt in Blawnox, PA. Then, the truck delivers the fuel oil to residences and companies throughout Bradford and the surrounding area.
