Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Providence Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Families have a host of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the preferred choice in Providence, used by 235,913 or 53% of residents. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Providence residents 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%).
Providence 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 Providence
Fuel oil has become less popular in Providence. In the 10 years since 2015, the number of households using heating oil fell from 124,029 to 108,766, a 12% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Providence
Between 2015 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel jumped 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 increased from 216,129 to 235,913, a 9% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Providence
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more prevalent in Providence. Since 2015, the number of homes heating with electricity shot up from 43,085 to 70,606, a 64% change.
Providence County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Providence County homeowners purchased a total of 42 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Providence’s overall fuel oil usage changes from year to year based on the severity of the winter. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ furnaces need to burn increasing amounts of heating oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Providence was 32.1°F, which was 3.9°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Providence County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 32.1° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 36° F |
Providence County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Providence households heating with heating oil, selecting which of the 48 heating oil companies that serve Providence can drastically impact the cost of home heating.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who can afford a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 315 “full-service” oil companies that serve Providence. Full service companies such as A-Star Oil LLC or Micheletti Oil Services offer clients annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic heating oil delivery and boiler repair. With an automatic oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s number two heating oil consumption and makes deliveries when your tank is running low. The customer 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 clients who are looking to save money. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower prices, you monitor the number two heating oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when you're running low. Examples of 2 Providence cash heating oil companies serving Providence include Anthony's Oil LLC and TH Malloy.
Providence Fuel Oil Company By The Numbers: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Providence: 48 companies .
Average Number of Providence Homes Served per Number Two Heating Oil company : 2266
Providence Heating Oil Delivery Overview
108,766 households in Providence heat their homes with number two heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Providence temperatures drop as low as 26.7° F each winter. 24.3% of Providence households are reliant on oil delivery each winter.
12.1% of Providence County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Providence County Households | Providence County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 898,380 | 108,766 |
1004 Providence Number Two Heating Oil Companies Homeowners Can Count On
With 91,890,913 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Providence homes during this past winter, the Providence community looks to its 1004 oil companies when temperatures dip. 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 Providence, two of the closest terminals are Shell in Providence, RI and Sprague in Providence, RI. Then, the truck delivers the #2 heating oil to homes and businesses throughout Providence and the surrounding area.
