Date	Price
01/03/2026	$2.900
01/02/2026	$2.900
01/01/2026	$2.900
12/31/2025	$2.900
12/30/2025	$2.900
12/29/2025	$2.900
12/28/2025	$2.900
12/27/2025	$2.900
12/26/2025	$2.900
12/25/2025	$2.900
12/24/2025	$2.900
12/23/2025	$2.900
12/22/2025	$2.900
12/21/2025	$2.900
12/20/2025	$2.900
12/19/2025	$2.900
12/18/2025	$2.900
12/17/2025	$2.900
12/16/2025	$2.870
12/15/2025	$2.870
12/14/2025	$2.870
12/13/2025	$2.870
12/12/2025	$2.870
12/11/2025	$2.870
12/10/2025	$2.950
12/09/2025	$2.850
12/08/2025	$2.960
12/07/2025	$2.850
12/06/2025	$2.850
12/05/2025	$2.850

Propane vs. Natural Gas vs. Heating Oil: Essex Home Heating Fuel Comparison

Homeowners have a host of fuels that can be used when it comes to heating. Natural Gas is the most common choice in Essex, used by 2,627,206 or 74% of households. The next most popular primary heating fuel for Essex homeowners is Electricity, used by 617,773 homes (17%). The other homes are heated with Heating Oil (5%), Propane (2%), Other (0.4%), and Solar (0.3%).

Essex County Residential Primary Home Heating Fuel (in Number of Households)

Year	Natural Gas	Propane	Electricity	Oil	Wood	Solar	Other
2025	29,329,619	1,049,471	7,239,965	2,221,569	154,787	39,893	174,840
2024	29,971,190	1,048,805	6,910,736	2,496,805	142,667	60,149	190,558
2023	30,506,496	1,046,096	6,601,589	2,767,077	131,171	78,641	204,716
2022	30,531,952	1,016,907	6,301,178	2,901,685	129,915	78,556	201,996
2021	30,374,036	958,364	5,963,306	3,021,832	135,068	70,305	191,015
2020	29,714,124	887,456	5,592,509	3,102,094	141,686	62,042	183,479
2019	29,162,603	811,896	5,206,069	3,192,263	148,163	52,623	169,681
2018	29,022,565	766,942	4,968,647	3,337,899	156,344	42,041	161,098
2017	28,833,947	748,532	4,828,640	3,501,438	168,171	32,172	158,171
2016	28,670,668	741,323	4,731,417	3,686,150	177,238	24,401	152,940
2015	28,530,661	739,660	4,620,717	3,917,066	177,911	17,853	141,727
2014	28,416,542	739,682	4,503,719	4,149,546	172,981	12,939	128,167
2013	28,313,635	745,905	4,392,796	4,376,963	166,888	9,044	117,252
2012	28,198,316	753,570	4,255,774	4,644,621	155,931	5,928	109,831
2011	28,039,203	754,637	4,136,200	4,911,400	140,798	4,108	104,335
2010	27,819,915	753,238	4,032,541	5,189,060	130,312	3,650	101,669

Heating Oil (Fuel Oil) Use in Essex

Heating oil has become less popular in Essex. In the 10 years since 2015, the number of residents using heating oil declined from 299,222 to 185,324, a 38% drop.

Propane vs. Natural Gas use for home heating in Essex

Between 2015 and today, the number of households using propane as the primary space heating fuel ramped up from 61,082 to 70,406, a 15% change. Comparing 2015 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel rose from 2,398,744 to 2,627,206, a 10% change.

Electricity use for home heating in Essex

Electric heat pump systems for home heating are gaining popularity in Essex. Since 2015, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 385,792 to 617,773, a 60% change.

Adoption of solar home heating systems in Essex

Out of all fuels, solar is the safest for the environment. 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, 11,798 homes in Essex are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 562% gain from 2015, when 1,781 homes utilized active solar heating.

Essex County Heating Oil Trends

Last year, Essex County homeowners purchased a total of 10 million gallons of heating oil.

Short Term Trends

Essex’s overall number two heating oil usage changes annually as winter conditions change. As the temperature outside gets colder, homes’ HVAC systems 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 Essex was 33.5°F, which was 4.7°F colder than the prior winter's average outside temperature.

Essex County Average Winter Temperature

Heating Season	Average Temperature
2024 - 2025	33.5° F
2023 - 2024	38.2° F

Essex County Homeowner’s Guide to Selecting an Oil Company

For Essex families heating with number two heating oil, selecting which of the 26 heating oil companies that serve Essex is an important decision.

Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners who want a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system pick one of the 21 “full-service” oil companies that serve Essex. Full service companies such as Advantage Oil or Advantage Oil offer customers annual contracts which consist of a combined package of both automatic oil delivery and boiler 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 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 families who are budget-conscious. With discount oil companies, in return for better 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 Essex cash heating oil companies serving Essex include Affordable Oil and Deinrich Fuel Oil Inc.

Essex Oil Company Fast Facts: Heating oil Companies Serving Essex: 26 companies .
Average Number of Essex Households Served per Fuel Oil company : 0

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