Families have a choice of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Bucks, used by 2,796,352 or 52% of homeowners. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Bucks homeowners 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%).

Bucks County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (in Number 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 Bucks

Fuel oil has become losing popularity in Bucks. In the 7 years since 2018, the number of households using fuel oil decreased from 806,761 to 663,450, a 18% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Bucks

Between 2018 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 225,476 to 282,182, a 25% change. Comparing 2018 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 2,592,386 to 2,796,352, a 8% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Bucks

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more prevalent in Bucks. Since 2018, the number of homes heating with electricity grew from 1,198,450 to 1,447,260, a 21% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Bucks

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, 7,204 homes in Bucks are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 228% gain from 2018, when 2,197 homes utilized active solar heating.

Bucks County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Bucks County homeowners purchased a total of 40 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Bucks’s overall heating oil consumption varies annually primarily depending on how cold each winter is. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ heating systems need to burn more and more heating oil to keep the house warm inside. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Bucks was 29.3°F, which was 5.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Bucks County Average Winter Temperature

Heating Season	Average Temperature
2024 - 2025	29.3° F
2023 - 2024	34.8° F

Bucks County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Bucks households heating with oil, selecting which of the 68 heating oil companies that serve Bucks can drastically impact the cost of home heating.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who want a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 272 “full-service” oil companies that serve Bucks. Full service companies such as IT Landes or InterCounty Oil Services Inc offer households annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic heating 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 household 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 on a budget. 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. A few of the 2 Bucks cash heating oil companies serving Bucks include Ace Fueling Llc and Blaze Oil Corporation.

Bucks Oil Company By The Numbers: Heating oil Companies Serving Bucks: 68 companies .
Average Number of Bucks Households Served per Fuel Oil company : 9757

Bucks Heating Oil Delivery Overview

663,450 families in Bucks heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Bucks temperatures drop as low as 23.2° F each winter. 12.3% of Bucks houses rely on fuel oil delivery each winter.

6.1% of Bucks County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter

Bucks County Households	Bucks County Heating Oil Households
10.7M	663,450

1133 Bucks Number Two Heating Oil Companies You Can Bank On

With 507,486,889 gallons of heating oil delivered to Bucks residences the last heating season, the Bucks community depends on its 1133 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. 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 Bucks, 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 residences and companies throughout Bucks and the surrounding area.

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