Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Bristol Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Households have a variety of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Bristol, used by 235,913 or 53% of residents. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Bristol households is Heating Oil, used by 108,766 homes (24%). The other homes are heated with Electricity (16%), Propane (6%), Other (1%), and Wood (1%).
Bristol County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (in Number of Households)
| Year | Natural Gas | Propane | Electricity | Oil | Wood | Solar | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 235,913 | 24,676 | 70,606 | 108,766 | 3,474 | 1,046 | 3,562 |
| 2024 | 239,478 | 21,922 | 63,619 | 113,718 | 3,280 | 896 | 3,236 |
| 2023 | 225,315 | 26,362 | 64,872 | 117,298 | 4,970 | 781 | 2,523 |
| 2022 | 240,848 | 21,720 | 60,798 | 112,289 | 4,812 | 686 | 3,106 |
| 2021 | 232,445 | 20,854 | 50,898 | 127,202 | 4,581 | 482 | 1,870 |
| 2020 | 228,782 | 17,674 | 46,340 | 121,808 | 5,244 | 362 | 2,025 |
| 2019 | 225,120 | 14,493 | 41,783 | 116,413 | 5,906 | 243 | 2,180 |
| 2018 | 226,173 | 11,618 | 41,491 | 117,880 | 4,634 | 313 | 2,687 |
| 2017 | 216,466 | 12,165 | 43,380 | 126,191 | 5,952 | 47 | 2,845 |
| 2016 | 221,544 | 10,488 | 43,722 | 122,343 | 6,219 | 290 | 2,140 |
| 2015 | 216,129 | 11,955 | 43,085 | 124,029 | 7,228 | 0 | 3,101 |
| 2014 | 217,810 | 11,457 | 39,832 | 129,877 | 7,318 | 0 | 2,159 |
| 2013 | 212,545 | 10,035 | 39,215 | 132,486 | 8,547 | 185 | 1,769 |
| 2012 | 208,173 | 10,361 | 38,606 | 144,208 | 7,592 | 204 | 2,165 |
| 2011 | 209,106 | 7,816 | 34,511 | 151,784 | 5,860 | 75 | 1,590 |
| 2010 | 197,703 | 7,793 | 35,706 | 151,847 | 7,084 | 0 | 814 |
Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Bristol
Number two heating oil has become decreasing in demand in Bristol. In the 9 years since 2016, the number of residents using number two heating oil fell from 122,343 to 108,766, a 11% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Bristol
Between 2016 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel increased from 10,488 to 24,676, a 135% change. Comparing 2016 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 221,544 to 235,913, a 6% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Bristol
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Bristol. Since 2016, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 43,722 to 70,606, a 61% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Bristol
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, 1,046 homes in Bristol are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 261% gain from 2016, when 290 homes had active solar heating.
Bristol County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Bristol County homeowners purchased a total of 5 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Bristol’s overall number two heating oil usage changes each year correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ boilers need to burn additional fuel oil to keep the house warm inside. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Bristol was 32.1°F, which was 3.9°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Bristol County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 32.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 36° F |
Bristol County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Bristol households heating with oil, picking which of the 44 heating oil companies that serve Bristol makes a big difference.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who are willing to pay a premium for a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system select one of the 37 “full-service” oil companies that serve Bristol. Full service companies such as A-Star Oil LLC or Micheletti Oil Services offer families annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic fuel oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s number two heating oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The client 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 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 either when the level runs low or just before a major snowstorm. Examples of 2 Bristol cash heating oil companies serving Bristol include Anthony's Oil LLC and MATHEWS OIL CO.
Bristol Heating Oil Company By The Numbers: Heating oil Companies Serving Bristol: 44 companies .
Average Number of Bristol Households Served per Heating Oil company : 2472
Bristol Heating Oil Delivery Overview
108,766 households in Bristol heat their homes with fuel oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Bristol temperatures drop as low as 26.7° F each winter. 24.3% of Bristol families rely on fuel oil delivery each winter.
12.1% of Bristol County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Bristol County Households | Bristol County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 898,380 | 108,766 |
116 Bristol Fuel Oil Companies Serving The Community
With 91,890,913 gallons of heating oil delivered to Bristol homes during this past winter, the Bristol community depends on its 116 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 Bristol, two of the closest terminals are Shell in Providence, RI and Sprague in Providence, RI. Then, the truck delivers the number two heating oil to residences and companies throughout Bristol and the surrounding area.
