Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Orange Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homeowners have a variety of fuels to choose from when it comes to heating. Heating Oil is the preferred choice in Orange, used by 99,824 or 35% of residents. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Orange residents is Propane, used by 57,954 homes (20%). The other homes are heated with Natural Gas (19%), Electricity (13%), Wood (11%), and Other (2%).
Orange County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (in Number 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 Orange
Oil has become decreasing in demand in Orange. In the 1 years since 2024, the number of homeowners using heating oil declined from 101,281 to 99,824, a 1% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Orange
Between 2024 and today, the number of houses using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose from 56,523 to 57,954, a 3% change. Comparing 2024 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel dropped from 56,646 to 55,373, a 2% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Orange
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Orange. Since 2024, the number of homes heating with electricity jumped from 33,651 to 36,366, a 8% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Orange
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. Currently, 1,820 homes in Orange are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 10% gain from 2024, when 1,660 homes utilized active solar heating.
Orange County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Orange County homeowners purchased a total of 1 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Orange’s overall number two heating oil consumption varies annually based on the severity of the winter. As the temperature outside drops, homes’ HVAC systems need to burn increasing amounts of heating oil to maintain a constant interior temperature. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Orange was 20.4°F, which was 6.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Orange County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 20.4° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 26.8° F |
Orange County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Orange homes heating with number two heating oil, picking which of the 4 heating oil companies that serve Orange can drastically impact the cost of home heating.
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 7 “full-service” oil companies that serve Orange. Full service companies such as Packard Fuels or Packard Fuels offer customers annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic heating oil delivery and furnace repair. With an automatic heating oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s 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: Often called “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for clients who are on a budget. With discount oil companies, in exchange for lower 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 Orange cash heating oil companies serving Orange include Vermont Fuel Efficiency and Packard Fuels LLC.
Orange Heating Oil Company By The Numbers: Number two heating oil Companies Serving Orange: 4 companies .
Average Number of Orange Households Served per Heating Oil company : 24956
Orange Heating Oil Delivery Overview
99,824 residences in Orange heat their homes with number two heating oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Orange temperatures drop as low as 12.6° F each winter. 34.6% of Orange residences rely on heating oil delivery each winter.
17.2% of Orange County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Orange County Households | Orange County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 579,101 | 99,824 |
28 Orange Fuel Oil Companies You Can Bank On
With 92,108,924 gallons of heating oil delivered to Orange residences the last heating season, the Orange community relies on its 28 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. Oil delivery is a two step process: First, an oil truck picks up oil at the nearest bulk fuel terminal (also known as a “rack”). In the case of Orange, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Newington, NH and Apex in Rensselaer, NY. Then, the truck delivers the number two heating oil to homes and businesses throughout Orange and the surrounding vicinity.
