Families have a choice of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Lehigh, used by 2,796,352 or 52% of residents. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Lehigh residents 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%).

Lehigh 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 Lehigh

Heating oil has become less frequently used in Lehigh. In the 9 years since 2016, the number of residents using number two heating oil dipped from 805,822 to 663,450, a 18% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Lehigh

Between 2016 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 209,719 to 282,182, a 35% change. Comparing 2016 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel grew from 2,551,248 to 2,796,352, a 10% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Lehigh

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Lehigh. Since 2016, the number of homes heating with electricity grew from 1,133,797 to 1,447,260, a 28% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Lehigh

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. Today, 7,204 homes in Lehigh are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 340% gain from 2016, when 1,639 homes incorporated active solar heating.

Lehigh County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Lehigh County homeowners purchased a total of 22 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Lehigh’s overall fuel oil consumption fluctuates yearly primarily depending on how cold each winter is. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ furnaces need to burn more and more oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Lehigh was 29.3°F, which was 5.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Lehigh County Average Winter Temperature

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

Lehigh County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Lehigh households heating with number two heating oil, picking which of the 39 heating oil companies that serve Lehigh plays a big role in determining how much money is spent on heating each winter.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who want a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 118 “full-service” oil companies that serve Lehigh. Full service companies such as Wisser Coal & Fuel Oil or DeSousa Oil & Service Corp offer homeowners annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic oil delivery and boiler 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 referred to as “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for families who are looking to save money. 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 Lehigh cash heating oil companies serving Lehigh include Tirpak Energy and Liberty Oil & Propane.

Lehigh Heating Oil Company By The Numbers: Fuel oil Companies Serving Lehigh: 39 companies .
Average Number of Lehigh Homes Served per Fuel Oil company : 17012

Lehigh Heating Oil Delivery Overview

663,450 households in Lehigh heat their homes with number two heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Lehigh temperatures drop as low as 23.2° F each winter. 12.3% of Lehigh families depend on number two heating oil delivery each winter.

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

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

576 Lehigh Oil Companies You Can Trust

With 507,486,889 gallons of heating oil delivered to Lehigh residences the last heating season, the Lehigh community looks to its 576 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 Lehigh, two of the closest terminals are Ergon in Newell, PA and Etmt in Blawnox, PA. Then, the truck delivers the #2 heating oil to homes and businesses throughout Lehigh and the surrounding region.

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