Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Elk Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Households have a choice of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Elk, used by 2,796,352 or 52% of residents. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Elk 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%).
Elk 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 Elk
Heating oil has become less popular in Elk. In the 6 years since 2019, the number of families using number two heating oil declined from 792,365 to 663,450, a 16% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Elk
Between 2019 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose from 235,490 to 282,182, a 20% change. Comparing 2019 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 2,634,591 to 2,796,352, a 6% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Elk
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Elk. Since 2019, the number of homes heating with electricity jumped from 1,222,377 to 1,447,260, a 18% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Elk
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 Elk are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 70% gain from 2019, when 4,241 homes incorporated active solar heating.
Elk County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Elk County homeowners purchased a total of 180,681 gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Elk’s overall fuel oil use changes from year to year as winter conditions change. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ heating systems need to burn more and more heating oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Elk was 29.3°F, which was 5.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Elk County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 29.3° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 34.8° F |
Elk County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Elk households heating with number two heating oil, choosing which of the 1 heating oil companies that serve Elk 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 select one of the 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Elk. Full service companies such as or offer homeowners annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic heating oil delivery and furnace repair. With an automatic oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s heating 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 budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when you're running low. Examples of 1 Elk cash heating oil companies serving Elk include Friday Gas & Oil Inc and .
Elk Fuel Oil Company Statistics: Heating oil Companies Serving Elk: 1 companies .
Average Number of Elk Houses Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 663450
Elk Heating Oil Delivery Overview
663,450 families in Elk heat their homes with heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Elk temperatures drop as low as 23.2° F each winter. 12.3% of Elk households rely on fuel oil delivery each winter.
6.1% of Elk County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Elk County Households | Elk County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 10.7M | 663,450 |
1 Elk Fuel Oil Companies You Can Bank On
With 507,486,889 gallons of oil delivered to Elk homes last winter, the Elk community relies on its 1 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 Elk, two of the closest terminals are Ergon in Newell, PA and Etmt in Blawnox, PA. Then, the truck delivers the oil to residences and companies throughout Elk and the surrounding region.
