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Troy, VTPropane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Orleans Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homeowners have a host of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Heating Oil is the most popular choice in Orleans, used by 99,824 or 35% of households. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Orleans 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%).
Orleans 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 Orleans
Fuel oil has become losing popularity in Orleans. In the 4 years since 2021, the number of families using oil declined from 105,005 to 99,824, a 5% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Orleans
Between 2021 and today, the number of households 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 jumped from 50,677 to 55,373, a 9% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Orleans
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are more popular in Orleans. 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 Orleans
The most eco-friendly heating option is solar. With an “active” solar heating system, liquid flows between solar panels on a home’s roof and a heat energy storage tank (similar to a hot water heater) in the basement. As it stands today, 1,820 homes in Orleans are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 35% gain from 2021, when 1,349 homes used active solar heating.
Orleans County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Orleans County homeowners purchased a total of 2,547 gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Orleans’s overall heating oil usage fluctuates from year to year as winter conditions change. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ heating systems need to burn more and more number two heating oil to keep the house warm inside. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Orleans was 20.4°F, which was 6.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Orleans County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 20.4° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 26.8° F |
Orleans County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Orleans residences heating with oil, selecting which of the 1 heating oil companies that serve Orleans is an important decision.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who want a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 0 “full-service” oil companies that serve Orleans. Full service companies such as or offer clients annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and furnace repair. With an automatic fuel oil delivery contract, the company tracks your home’s 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: also referred to as “COD Fuel” or “Cash Heating Oil” companies, discount oil companies are for customers who are on a budget. 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 the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. Examples of 1 Orleans cash heating oil companies serving Orleans include Oil Supply Corp and .
Orleans Heating Oil Company By The Numbers: Heating oil Companies Serving Orleans: 1 companies .
Average Number of Orleans Households Served per Heating Oil company : 99824
Orleans Heating Oil Delivery Overview
99,824 houses in Orleans heat their homes with oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Orleans temperatures drop as low as 12.6° F each winter. 34.6% of Orleans residences are reliant on oil delivery each winter.
17.2% of Orleans County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Orleans County Households | Orleans County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 579,101 | 99,824 |
1 Orleans Oil Companies Serving The Community
With 92,108,924 gallons of heating oil delivered to Orleans households during this past winter, the Orleans community relies on its 1 oil companies to keep their oil tanks full. 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 Orleans, two of the closest terminals are Sprague in Newington, NH and Apex in Rensselaer, NY. Then, the truck delivers the #2 heating oil to homes and businesses throughout Orleans and the surrounding vicinity.
