Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Tioga Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Residences have a choice of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Tioga, used by 2,796,352 or 52% of homeowners. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Tioga 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%).
Tioga 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 Tioga
Number two heating oil has become less frequently used in Tioga. In the 11 years since 2014, the number of homeowners using oil declined from 858,758 to 663,450, a 23% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Tioga
Between 2014 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose from 198,296 to 282,182, a 42% change. Comparing 2014 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 2,528,694 to 2,796,352, a 11% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Tioga
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Tioga. Since 2014, the number of homes heating with electricity increased from 1,087,741 to 1,447,260, a 33% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Tioga
Solar is the most environmentally friendly of all heating fuels. 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 Tioga are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 309% gain from 2014, when 1,760 homes used active solar heating.
Tioga County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Tioga County homeowners purchased a total of 84,533 gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Tioga’s overall fuel oil use fluctuates yearly based on the severity of the winter. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ heating systems 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 Tioga was 29.3°F, which was 5.5°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Tioga County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 29.3° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 34.8° F |
Tioga County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Tioga families heating with oil, selecting which of the 2 heating oil companies that serve Tioga can drastically impact the cost of home heating.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who prefer a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 1 “full-service” oil companies that serve Tioga. Full service companies such as WOC Energy or offer clients annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic number two heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The homeowner 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 customers who are on a budget. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the fuel oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. A few of the 1 Tioga cash heating oil companies serving Tioga include WOC Online Discount and .
Tioga Number Two Heating Oil Company By The Numbers: Oil Companies Serving Tioga: 2 companies .
Average Number of Tioga Households Served per Heating Oil company : 331725
Tioga Heating Oil Delivery Overview
663,450 households in Tioga heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Tioga temperatures drop as low as 23.2° F each winter. 12.3% of Tioga households are reliant on heating oil delivery each winter.
6.1% of Tioga County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Tioga County Households | Tioga County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 10.7M | 663,450 |
2 Tioga Heating Oil Companies Serving The Community
With 507,486,889 gallons of heating oil delivered to Tioga households during this past winter, the Tioga community depends on its 2 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 Tioga, 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 Tioga and the surrounding area.
