Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Mercer Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Households have a variety of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Mercer, used by 2,796,352 or 52% of residents. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Mercer 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%).
Mercer 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 Mercer
Number two heating oil has become less frequently used in Mercer. In the 6 years since 2019, the number of residents using heating oil fell from 792,365 to 663,450, a 16% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Mercer
Between 2019 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel increased 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 jumped from 2,634,591 to 2,796,352, a 6% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Mercer
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more prevalent in Mercer. Since 2019, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 1,222,377 to 1,447,260, a 18% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Mercer
The most eco-friendly heating option is solar. 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. Today, 7,204 homes in Mercer are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 70% gain from 2019, when 4,241 homes used active solar heating.
Mercer County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Mercer County homeowners purchased a total of 348,456 gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Mercer’s overall fuel oil use changes each year depending on winter temperatures. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ boilers need to burn additional heating oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Mercer was 29.3°F, which was 5.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Mercer County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 29.3° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 34.8° F |
Mercer County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Mercer families heating with fuel oil, choosing which of the 4 heating oil companies that serve Mercer 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 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Mercer. 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 heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s fuel 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: Also known by the names “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for families who are on a budget. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the heating oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order either when the level runs low or just before a major snowstorm. Some of the 2 Mercer cash heating oil companies serving Mercer include Heath Oil Inc and Klasen Mcquiston Energy Corporation.
Mercer Number Two Heating Oil Company Statistics: Oil Companies Serving Mercer: 4 companies .
Average Number of Mercer Households Served per Fuel Oil company : 165863
Mercer Heating Oil Delivery Overview
663,450 homes in Mercer heat their homes with number two heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Mercer temperatures drop as low as 23.2° F each winter. 12.3% of Mercer residences rely on number two heating oil delivery each winter.
6.1% of Mercer County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Mercer County Households | Mercer County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 10.7M | 663,450 |
10 Mercer Number Two Heating Oil Companies Homeowners Can Count On
With 507,486,889 gallons of heating oil delivered to Mercer households last winter, the Mercer community relies on its 10 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 Mercer, 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 Mercer and the surrounding area.
