Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Windham Home Heating Fuel Comparison
Homes have a choice of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Heating Oil is the most popular choice in Windham, used by 99,824 or 35% of families. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Windham families is Propane, used by 57,954 homes (20%). The remaining homes are heated with Natural Gas (19%), Electricity (13%), Wood (11%), and Other (2%).
Windham 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 Windham
Number two heating oil has become less popular in Windham. In the 2 years since 2023, the number of residents using fuel oil decreased from 102,091 to 99,824, a 2% drop.
Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Windham
Between 2023 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel shot up from 54,853 to 57,954, a 6% change. Comparing 2023 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel jumped from 48,131 to 55,373, a 15% change.
Electricity use for home heating in Windham
Electric heat pump systems for home heating are increasing in demand in Windham. Since 2023, the number of homes heating with electricity shot up from 27,940 to 36,366, a 30% change.
Adoption of solar home heating systems in Windham
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 Windham are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 9% gain from 2023, when 1,670 homes had active solar heating.
Windham County Heating Oil Trends
Last year, Windham County homeowners purchased a total of 6 million gallons of heating oil.
Short Term Trends
Windham’s overall oil use varies annually depending on winter temperatures. As the temperature outside gets more chilly, homes’ heating systems need to burn more and more heating oil to maintain the temperature that the thermostat is set to. Last winter, the average outside temperature in Windham was 20.4°F, which was 6.4°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.
Windham County Average Winter Temperature
| Heating Season | Average Temperature |
|---|---|
| 2024 - 2025 | 20.4° F |
| 2023 - 2024 | 26.8° F |
Windham County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company
For Windham residences heating with oil, selecting which of the 5 heating oil companies that serve Windham can drastically impact the cost of home heating.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who value a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 3 “full-service” oil companies that serve Windham. Full service companies such as Barrows & Fisher Oil or Barrows & Fisher Oil offer families annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic fuel oil delivery and HVAC repair. With an automatic 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 client 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 heating oil level in your tank, and you place an oil order when the oil gauge dips below a quarter tank. A few of the 2 Windham cash heating oil companies serving Windham include Cota & Cota Inc and BART Energy Llc.
Windham Heating Oil Company Statistics: Heating oil Companies Serving Windham: 5 companies .
Average Number of Windham Households Served per Heating Oil company : 19965
Windham Heating Oil Delivery Overview
99,824 homes in Windham heat their homes with fuel oil. This makes oil delivery essential, especially when Windham temperatures drop as low as 12.6° F each winter. 34.6% of Windham residences depend on heating oil delivery each winter.
17.2% of Windham County Households Rely On Heating Oil Delivery Each Winter
| Windham County Households | Windham County Heating Oil Households |
|---|---|
| 579,101 | 99,824 |
36 Windham Number Two Heating Oil Companies Homeowners Can Count On
With 92,108,924 gallons of fuel oil delivered to Windham households during this past winter, the Windham community relies on its 36 oil companies when temperatures dip. 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 Windham, 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 Windham and the surrounding vicinity.
