Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Monroe Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homes have a variety of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most popular choice in Monroe, used by 2,796,352 or 52% of homeowners. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Monroe homeowners 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%).
Monroe 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 Monroe
Oil has become less frequently used in Monroe. In the 9 years since 2016, the number of families using oil fell from 805,822 to 663,450, a 18% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Monroe
Between 2016 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose 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 ramped up from 2,551,248 to 2,796,352, a 10% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Monroe
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Monroe. 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 Monroe
Out of all fuels, solar is the safest for the environment. 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 Monroe are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 340% gain from 2016, when 1,639 homes used active solar heating.
Monroe County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Monroe County homeowners purchased a total of 6 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Monroe’s overall number two heating oil usage changes from year to year as winter conditions change. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ HVAC systems need to burn additional number two heating oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Monroe was 29.3°F, which was 5.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Monroe County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 29.3° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 34.8° F |
Monroe County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Monroe families heating with number two heating oil, choosing which of the 11 heating oil companies that serve Monroe plays a big role in determining how much money is spent on heating each winter.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who value a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 11 “full-service” oil companies that serve Monroe. Full service companies such as DeSousa Oil & Service Corp or Keller Enterprises Inc 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 family 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 clients who are on a budget. With discount oil companies, in return for better 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. A few of the 2 Monroe cash heating oil companies serving Monroe include Liberty Oil & Propane and Pennywise Fuel Inc.
Monroe Heating Oil Company Fast Facts: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Monroe: 11 companies .
Average Number of Monroe Homes Served per Fuel Oil company : 60314
Monroe Heating Oil Delivery Overview
663,450 families in Monroe heat their homes with number two heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Monroe temperatures drop as low as 23.2° F each winter. 12.3% of Monroe residences rely on oil delivery each winter.
6.1% of Monroe County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Monroe County Households | Monroe County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 10.7M | 663,450 |
67 Monroe Fuel Oil Companies You Can Bank On
With 507,486,889 gallons of number two heating oil delivered to Monroe homeowners the last heating season, the Monroe community depends on its 67 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. Oil delivery can be summed up in two steps: First, an oil truck picks up oil at the nearest bulk fuel terminal (also known as a “rack”). In the case of Monroe, 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 Monroe and the surrounding region.