Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Philadelphia Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Households have a host of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most popular choice in Philadelphia, used by 2,796,352 or 52% of residents. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Philadelphia 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%).
Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia
Oil has become less frequently used in Philadelphia. 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 Philadelphia
Between 2016 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel ramped up 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 rose from 2,551,248 to 2,796,352, a 10% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Philadelphia
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are increasing in demand in Philadelphia. Since 2016, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 1,133,797 to 1,447,260, a 28% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Philadelphia
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 Philadelphia are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 340% gain from 2016, when 1,639 homes incorporated active solar heating.
Philadelphia County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Philadelphia County homeowners purchased a total of 14 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Philadelphia’s overall fuel oil use varies annually based on the severity of the winter. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ furnaces need to burn more and more heating oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Philadelphia was 29.3°F, which was 5.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Philadelphia County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 29.3° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 34.8° F |
Philadelphia County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Philadelphia homeowners heating with number two heating oil, choosing which of the 40 heating oil companies that serve Philadelphia makes a big difference.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 15 “full-service” oil companies that serve Philadelphia. Full service companies such as IT Landes or InterCounty Oil Services Inc offer homeowners 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 customer 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 homeowners 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 when the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. Examples of 2 Philadelphia cash heating oil companies serving Philadelphia include Ace Fueling Llc and Blaze Oil Corporation.
Philadelphia Oil Company Fast Facts: Heating oil Companies Serving Philadelphia: 40 companies .
Average Number of Philadelphia Houses Served per Heating Oil company : 16586
Philadelphia Heating Oil Delivery Overview
663,450 homes in Philadelphia heat their homes with number two heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Philadelphia temperatures drop as low as 23.2° F each winter. 12.3% of Philadelphia families depend on oil delivery each winter.
6.1% of Philadelphia County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Philadelphia County Households | Philadelphia County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 10.7M | 663,450 |
40 Philadelphia Heating Oil Companies You Can Trust
With 507,486,889 gallons of number two heating oil delivered to Philadelphia residences during this past winter, the Philadelphia community relies on its 40 oil companies to keep warm throughout the winter. Oil delivery is a two step process: First, an oil truck picks up oil at the nearest bulk fuel terminal (also known as a “rack”). In the case of Philadelphia, two of the closest terminals are Ergon in Newell, PA and Etmt in Blawnox, PA. Then, the truck delivers the #2 heating oil to residences and companies throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding area.
