Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Bennington Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homeowners have a host of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Heating Oil is the preferred choice in Bennington, used by 99,824 or 35% of families. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Bennington households is Propane, used by 57,954 homes (20%). The other homes are heated with Natural Gas (19%), Electricity (13%), Wood (11%), and Other (2%).
Bennington County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (No. of Households)
| Year | Natural Gas | Propane | Electricity | Oil | Wood | Solar | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 55,373 | 57,954 | 36,366 | 99,824 | 33,030 | 1,820 | 4,366 |
| 2024 | 56,646 | 56,523 | 33,651 | 101,281 | 30,344 | 1,660 | 4,241 |
| 2023 | 48,131 | 54,853 | 27,940 | 102,091 | 38,497 | 1,670 | 4,784 |
| 2022 | 50,240 | 51,520 | 24,105 | 105,894 | 36,184 | 1,106 | 6,886 |
| 2021 | 50,677 | 51,992 | 22,510 | 105,005 | 33,125 | 1,349 | 4,533 |
| 2020 | 49,752 | 50,131 | 19,616 | 106,832 | 33,799 | 948 | 4,630 |
| 2019 | 48,826 | 48,270 | 16,723 | 108,658 | 34,473 | 547 | 4,727 |
| 2018 | 47,328 | 44,423 | 14,122 | 108,961 | 40,731 | 819 | 3,930 |
| 2017 | 47,036 | 43,339 | 14,035 | 107,395 | 38,840 | 612 | 3,997 |
| 2016 | 46,388 | 42,621 | 14,097 | 106,498 | 39,455 | 571 | 3,822 |
| 2015 | 45,256 | 40,280 | 12,610 | 108,532 | 42,271 | 263 | 4,298 |
| 2014 | 43,091 | 38,116 | 11,250 | 115,387 | 43,828 | 179 | 4,258 |
| 2013 | 42,192 | 38,339 | 11,779 | 111,011 | 44,411 | 257 | 3,630 |
| 2012 | 41,601 | 38,497 | 12,532 | 114,708 | 46,051 | 206 | 3,749 |
| 2011 | 39,163 | 39,551 | 10,855 | 122,786 | 41,261 | 98 | 2,834 |
| 2010 | 41,357 | 35,529 | 13,667 | 122,832 | 38,777 | 122 | 3,182 |
Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Bennington
Number two heating oil has become less frequently used in Bennington. In the 4 years since 2021, the number of households using heating oil dipped from 105,005 to 99,824, a 5% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Bennington
Between 2021 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel increased from 51,992 to 57,954, a 11% change. Comparing 2021 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 50,677 to 55,373, a 9% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Bennington
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Bennington. Since 2021, the number of homes heating with electricity increased from 22,510 to 36,366, a 62% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Bennington
The most eco-friendly heating option is solar. 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, 1,820 homes in Bennington are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 35% gain from 2021, when 1,349 homes used active solar heating.
Bennington County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Bennington County homeowners purchased a total of 4 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Bennington’s overall number two heating oil use changes each year correlating with how cold it gets each winter. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ boilers need to burn increasing amounts of number two heating oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Bennington was 20.4°F, which was 6.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Bennington County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 20.4° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 26.8° F |
Bennington County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Bennington residences heating with oil, choosing which of the 2 heating oil companies that serve Bennington 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 pick one of the 2 “full-service” oil companies that serve Bennington. Full service companies such as Morse Fuels LLC or Davey Oil Inc offer homeowners annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic heating oil delivery and heating system repair. With an automatic number two heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s number two heating 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 known by the names “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for households who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in return for better prices, you monitor the number two heating 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 0 Bennington cash heating oil companies serving Bennington include and .
Bennington Heating Oil Company By The Numbers: Fuel oil Companies Serving Bennington: 2 companies .
Average Number of Bennington Houses Served per Fuel Oil company : 49912
Bennington Heating Oil Delivery Overview
99,824 households in Bennington heat their homes with heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Bennington temperatures drop as low as 12.6° F each winter. 34.6% of Bennington houses depend on oil delivery each winter.
17.2% of Bennington County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Bennington County Households | Bennington County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 579,101 | 99,824 |
2 Bennington Oil Companies Homeowners Can Count On
With 92,108,924 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Bennington residences the last heating season, the Bennington community depends on its 2 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. 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 Bennington, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Newington, NH and Apex in Rensselaer, NY. Then, the truck delivers the oil to homes and businesses throughout Bennington and the surrounding vicinity.
