Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Snyder Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Families have a host of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Snyder, used by 2,796,352 or 52% of households. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Snyder 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%).
Snyder 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 Snyder
Number two heating oil has become less popular in Snyder. In the 1 years since 2024, the number of families using number two heating oil dipped from 685,083 to 663,450, a 3% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Snyder
Between 2024 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 276,598 to 282,182, a 2% change. Comparing 2024 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel stayed the same at 2,796,352, a 0% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Snyder
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more prevalent in Snyder. Since 2024, the number of homes heating with electricity grew from 1,396,275 to 1,447,260, a 4% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Snyder
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 Snyder are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 17% gain from 2024, when 6,155 homes used active solar heating.
Snyder County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Snyder County homeowners purchased a total of 2 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Snyder’s overall fuel oil use changes yearly correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ HVAC systems need to burn increasing amounts of fuel oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Snyder was 29.3°F, which was 5.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Snyder County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 29.3° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 34.8° F |
Snyder County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Snyder homes heating with number two heating oil, choosing which of the 7 heating oil companies that serve Snyder 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 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Snyder. Full service companies such as or offer customers annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic oil delivery and furnace repair. With an automatic number two heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s fuel 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 known by the names “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for households 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. Some of the 2 Snyder cash heating oil companies serving Snyder include Millers Gas & Oil Service Inc and Kratzer Oil Co Inc.
Snyder Number Two Heating Oil Company By The Numbers: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Snyder: 7 companies .
Average Number of Snyder Homes Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 94779
Snyder Heating Oil Delivery Overview
663,450 houses in Snyder heat their homes with number two heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Snyder temperatures drop as low as 23.2° F each winter. 12.3% of Snyder houses are reliant on heating oil delivery each winter.
6.1% of Snyder County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Snyder County Households | Snyder County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 10.7M | 663,450 |
50 Snyder Number Two Heating Oil Companies You Can Bank On
With 507,486,889 gallons of heating oil delivered to Snyder households during this past winter, the Snyder community relies on its 50 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 Snyder, 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 Snyder and the surrounding area.
