Residences have a choice of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Dauphin, used by 2,796,352 or 52% of households. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Dauphin residents is Electricity, used by 1,447,260 homes (27%). The other homes are heated with Heating Oil (12%), Propane (5%), Wood (2%), and Coal (1%).

Dauphin 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 Dauphin

Oil has become losing popularity in Dauphin. In the 5 years since 2020, the number of residents using fuel oil dipped from 776,616 to 663,450, a 15% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Dauphin

Between 2020 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 251,472 to 282,182, a 12% change. Comparing 2020 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 2,656,062 to 2,796,352, a 5% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Dauphin

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Dauphin. Since 2020, the number of homes heating with electricity increased from 1,254,850 to 1,447,260, a 15% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Dauphin

Out of all fuels, solar is the safest for the environment. 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. As it stands today, 7,204 homes in Dauphin are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 58% gain from 2020, when 4,554 homes used active solar heating.

Dauphin County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Dauphin County homeowners purchased a total of 12 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Dauphin’s overall fuel oil consumption changes each year depending on winter temperatures. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ furnaces need to burn increasing amounts of oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Dauphin was 29.3°F, which was 5.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Dauphin County Average Winter Temperature

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

Dauphin County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Dauphin homes heating with heating oil, selecting which of the 21 heating oil companies that serve Dauphin can drastically impact the cost of home heating.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 37 “full-service” oil companies that serve Dauphin. Full service companies such as Suburban Propane or Dolan Oil Service offer households annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic number two heating oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s number two heating 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 referred to as “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. Examples of 2 Dauphin cash heating oil companies serving Dauphin include Talley Petroleum Enterprises Inc and Peggy's Fuel Oil.

Dauphin Oil Company Statistics: Oil Companies Serving Dauphin: 21 companies .
Average Number of Dauphin Houses Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 31593

Dauphin Heating Oil Delivery Overview

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

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

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

116 Dauphin Oil Companies Go The Distance

With 507,486,889 gallons of heating oil delivered to Dauphin residences during this past winter, the Dauphin community depends on its 116 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 Dauphin, two of the closest terminals are Ergon in Newell, PA and Etmt in Blawnox, PA. Then, the truck delivers the oil to homes and businesses throughout Dauphin and the surrounding region.

Heating Oil Near You In These Adjacent Counties

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