Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Newport Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Residences have a choice of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Newport, used by 235,913 or 53% of households. The 2nd most popular primary heating fuel for Newport homeowners 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 (No. 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
Oil has become less popular in Newport. In the 11 years since 2014, the number of homeowners using fuel oil dipped from 129,877 to 108,766, a 16% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Newport
Between 2014 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose from 11,457 to 24,676, a 115% change. Comparing 2014 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 217,810 to 235,913, a 8% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Newport
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more prevalent in Newport. Since 2014, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 39,832 to 70,606, a 77% 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 heating oil usage changes annually primarily depending on how cold each winter is. As the temperature outside dips, homes’ furnaces need to burn additional oil to keep the house warm inside. 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 homeowners heating with oil, choosing which of the 26 heating oil companies that serve Newport plays a big role in determining how much money is spent on heating each winter.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who want a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 39 “full-service” oil companies that serve Newport. Full service companies such as Dudek Oil or Wildcat Oil Co offer families 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 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 referred to as “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for customers who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order either when the level runs low or just before a major snowstorm. A few of the 2 Newport cash heating oil companies serving Newport include Kent County Oil Service Inc and Fins Oil.
Newport Number Two Heating Oil Company Statistics: Fuel oil Companies Serving Newport: 26 companies .
Average Number of Newport Households Served per Heating Oil company : 4183
Newport Heating Oil Delivery Overview
108,766 homes in Newport heat their homes with fuel oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Newport temperatures drop as low as 26.7° F each winter. 24.3% of Newport households rely on fuel 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 |
127 Newport Number Two Heating Oil Companies Serving The Community
With 91,890,913 gallons of oil delivered to Newport homeowners the last heating season, the Newport community looks to its 127 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 Newport, two of the closest terminals are Shell in Providence, RI and Sprague in Providence, RI. Then, the truck delivers the oil to residences and companies throughout Newport and the surrounding vicinity.
