Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Crawford Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homeowners have a host of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Crawford, used by 2,796,352 or 52% of households. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Crawford 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%).
Crawford 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 Crawford
Oil has become losing popularity in Crawford. In the 11 years since 2014, the number of households using heating oil dropped from 858,758 to 663,450, a 23% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Crawford
Between 2014 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 198,296 to 282,182, a 42% change. Comparing 2014 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel increased from 2,528,694 to 2,796,352, a 11% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Crawford
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more prevalent in Crawford. Since 2014, the number of homes heating with electricity grew from 1,087,741 to 1,447,260, a 33% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Crawford
Solar is the most environmentally friendly of all heating fuels. 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, 7,204 homes in Crawford are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 309% gain from 2014, when 1,760 homes used active solar heating.
Crawford County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Crawford County homeowners purchased a total of 392,336 gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Crawford’s overall number two heating oil usage varies each year correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ boilers need to burn additional oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Crawford was 29.3°F, which was 5.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Crawford County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 29.3° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 34.8° F |
Crawford County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Crawford families heating with oil, selecting which of the 3 heating oil companies that serve Crawford makes a big difference.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who value a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Crawford. Full service companies such as or offer clients annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating oil delivery and furnace repair. With an automatic heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s number two heating oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The customer 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 families who are budget-conscious. 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 Crawford cash heating oil companies serving Crawford include Harned Oil Inc and Klasen Mcquiston Energy Corporation.
Crawford Oil Company Statistics: Oil Companies Serving Crawford: 3 companies .
Average Number of Crawford Households Served per Heating Oil company : 221150
Crawford Heating Oil Delivery Overview
663,450 homes in Crawford heat their homes with fuel oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Crawford temperatures drop as low as 23.2° F each winter. 12.3% of Crawford houses rely on oil delivery each winter.
6.1% of Crawford County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Crawford County Households | Crawford County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 10.7M | 663,450 |
5 Crawford Heating Oil Companies Go The Distance
With 507,486,889 gallons of heating oil delivered to Crawford houses during this past winter, the Crawford community relies on its 5 oil companies to keep warm throughout the winter. 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 Crawford, 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 Crawford and the surrounding region.
