Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Newport Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Families have a host of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Newport, used by 235,913 or 53% of families. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Newport families is Heating Oil, used by 108,766 homes (24%). The rest of the homes are heated with Electricity (16%), Propane (6%), Other (1%), and Wood (1%).
Newport 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 Newport
Heating oil has become less popular in Newport. In the 10 years since 2015, the number of households using number two heating oil fell from 124,029 to 108,766, a 12% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Newport
Between 2015 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel increased from 11,955 to 24,676, a 106% change. Comparing 2015 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 216,129 to 235,913, a 9% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Newport
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Newport. Since 2015, the number of homes heating with electricity grew from 43,085 to 70,606, a 64% change.
Newport County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Newport County homeowners purchased a total of 12 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Newport’s overall oil use varies annually based on the severity of the winter. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ boilers need to burn more and more number two heating oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Newport was 32.1°F, which was 3.9°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Newport County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 32.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 36° F |
Newport County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Newport residences heating with heating oil, selecting which of the 26 heating oil companies that serve Newport is an important decision.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who are willing to pay a premium for a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 47 “full-service” oil companies that serve Newport. Full service companies such as A-Star Oil LLC or Dudek Oil offer clients 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 oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The household does not need to monitor the level of the oil tank or place individual orders.
Discount Oil Companies: Often called “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for families 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 you're running low. Some of the 2 Newport cash heating oil companies serving Newport include Kent County Oil Service Inc and Affordable Fuel Inc.
Newport Number Two Heating Oil Company By The Numbers: Fuel oil Companies Serving Newport: 26 companies .
Average Number of Newport Households Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 4183
Newport Heating Oil Delivery Overview
108,766 families in Newport heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Newport temperatures drop as low as 26.7° F each winter. 24.3% of Newport houses depend on heating oil delivery each winter.
12.1% of Newport County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Newport County Households | Newport County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 898,380 | 108,766 |
130 Newport Oil Companies You Can Trust
With 91,890,913 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Newport homeowners during this past winter, the Newport community relies on its 130 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 Newport, 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 Newport and the surrounding region.
