Households have a choice of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most popular choice in Northampton, used by 2,796,352 or 52% of households. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Northampton 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%).

Northampton 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 Northampton

Heating oil has become less popular in Northampton. In the 5 years since 2020, the number of residents using heating oil decreased from 776,616 to 663,450, a 15% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Northampton

Between 2020 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel jumped 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 rose from 2,656,062 to 2,796,352, a 5% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Northampton

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Northampton. 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 Northampton

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. As it stands today, 7,204 homes in Northampton are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 58% gain from 2020, when 4,554 homes used active solar heating.

Northampton County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Northampton County homeowners purchased a total of 20 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Northampton’s overall oil usage fluctuates each year correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ furnaces need to burn increasing amounts of heating oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Northampton was 29.3°F, which was 5.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Northampton County Average Winter Temperature

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

Northampton County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Northampton homeowners heating with heating oil, selecting which of the 32 heating oil companies that serve Northampton makes a big difference.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who can afford a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 56 “full-service” oil companies that serve Northampton. Full service companies such as Wisser Coal & Fuel Oil or DeSousa Oil & Service Corp offer households annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s 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 clients who are on a budget. With discount oil companies, in return for better 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 Northampton cash heating oil companies serving Northampton include Aerni & Hitzel Fuel Inc and Lehigh Fuels Llc.

Northampton Heating Oil Company Statistics: Fuel oil Companies Serving Northampton: 32 companies .
Average Number of Northampton Households Served per Fuel Oil company : 20733

Northampton Heating Oil Delivery Overview

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

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

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

342 Northampton Heating Oil Companies Serving The Community

With 507,486,889 gallons of heating oil delivered to Northampton homes last winter, the Northampton community depends on its 342 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 Northampton, two of the closest terminals are Ergon in Newell, PA and Etmt in Blawnox, PA. Then, the truck delivers the fuel oil to homes and businesses throughout Northampton and the surrounding vicinity.

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