Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Pike Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Residences have a variety of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Pike, used by 2,796,352 or 52% of homeowners. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Pike homeowners is Electricity, used by 1,447,260 homes (27%). The rest of the homes are heated with Heating Oil (12%), Propane (5%), Wood (2%), and Coal (1%).
Pike 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 Pike
Oil has become decreasing in demand in Pike. In the 9 years since 2016, the number of residents using heating oil dropped from 805,822 to 663,450, a 18% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Pike
Between 2016 and today, the number of homes 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 jumped from 2,551,248 to 2,796,352, a 10% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Pike
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are increasing in demand in Pike. Since 2016, the number of homes heating with electricity increased from 1,133,797 to 1,447,260, a 28% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Pike
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. As it stands today, 7,204 homes in Pike are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 340% gain from 2016, when 1,639 homes utilized active solar heating.
Pike County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Pike County homeowners purchased a total of 2 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Pike’s overall oil usage changes from year to year primarily depending on how cold each winter is. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ furnaces need to burn additional heating oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Pike was 29.3°F, which was 5.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Pike County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 29.3° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 34.8° F |
Pike County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Pike families heating with heating oil, selecting which of the 5 heating oil companies that serve Pike can drastically impact the cost of home heating.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Pike. Full service companies such as or offer customers annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic heating oil delivery and boiler repair. With an automatic oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s 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 known by the names “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for homeowners who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the fuel 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 Pike cash heating oil companies serving Pike include Plociniak Oil Company Inc and Locklins Bottled Gas Inc.
Pike Oil Company Fast Facts: Oil Companies Serving Pike: 5 companies .
Average Number of Pike Houses Served per Fuel Oil company : 132690
Pike Heating Oil Delivery Overview
663,450 residences in Pike heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Pike temperatures drop as low as 23.2° F each winter. 12.3% of Pike houses depend on heating oil delivery each winter.
6.1% of Pike County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Pike County Households | Pike County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 10.7M | 663,450 |
27 Pike Oil Companies Homeowners Can Count On
With 507,486,889 gallons of heating oil delivered to Pike houses during this past winter, the Pike community depends on its 27 oil companies when temperatures dip. 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 Pike, 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 Pike and the surrounding region.
