Homeowners have a variety of home heating fuels to choose from. Heating oil is the most popular choice in New Hampshire, used by 199,201 or 40.68% of homes. The 2nd most popular choice for New Hampshire homeowners is natural gas, used by 116,398 homes (23.77%). The remaining homes are heated with propane (86,154), electricity (53,706), wood (26,906), and other fuels (14,611).
New Hampshire Primary Home Heating Fuel Popularity by Number of Households
Fuel | New Hampshire Households | % of Households |
---|---|---|
Heating Oil | 199,201 | 40.68% |
Natural Gas | 116,398 | 23.77% |
Propane | 86,154 | 17.59% |
Electricity | 53,706 | 10.97% |
Wood | 26,906 | 5.49% |
Other Fuels | 9,113 | 1.86% |
No Fuel | 4,353 | 0.89% |
Coal | 596 | 0.12% |
Solar | 549 | 0.11% |
Heating oil (40.68)
Natural gas (23.77)
Propane (17.59)
Electricity (10.97)
Wood (5.49)
Other fuels (1.86)
No fuel (0.89)
Coal (0.12)
Solar (0.11)
Heating oil has become less popular in New Hampshire. In the 3 years since 2019, the number of heating oil homes fell from 205,560 to 199,201, a 3.09% drop.
New Hampshire Heating Oil Households (2011 - 2022)
Year | Heating Oil Households |
---|---|
2011 | 228,537 |
2012 | 224,820 |
2013 | 219,493 |
2014 | 214,277 |
2015 | 211,487 |
2016 | 208,537 |
2017 | 206,562 |
2018 | 205,597 |
2019 | 205,560 |
2020 | 204,949 |
2021 | 201,643 |
2022 | 199,201 |
Between 2019 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose from 73,701 to 86,154.
Between 2019 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel rose from 108,690 to 116,398.
Electric space heating systems are becoming more popular in New Hampshire. Since 2019, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 46,368 to 53,706, a 15.83% increase.
Solar is the most environmentally friendly of all space heating fuels. With an “active” solar heating system, liquid is circulated between solar panels on a home’s roof and a heat energy storage tank in the basement.
Currently, 549 homes in New Hampshire are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 41.86% increase from 2019, when only 387 homes had installed active solar heating.
Short Term Trends
Heating Season | Average Temperature |
---|---|
Winter 2022 - 2023 | 42° F |
Winter 2021 - 2022 | 29.5° F |
For New Hampshire homeowners heating with oil, selecting which of the 120 heating oil companies that serve New Hampshire is an important decision.
Full Service Oil Companies: Homeowners willing to pay a premium for a “set-it-and-forget-it” heating system choose one of the 11 “full-service” oil companies that serve New Hampshire. Full service companies such as Absco Heating or Discount Oil Of Keene offer automatic fuel delivery and furnace repair under a single roof.
Discount Oil Companies: Also known by the names “COD Fuel Companies” or “Cash Heating Oil Companies”, these companies are for the budget-conscious New Hampshire homeowner. In return for better prices, you monitor the oil level in your tank and place an order when you run low on oil. Examples of cash heating oil companies that serve New Hampshire include City Fuel Co Inc and Rockingham Oil LLC.
New Hampshire Heating Oil Company Fast Facts
Heating Oil Companies Serving New Hampshire: 120 companies
Average Number Of New Hampshire Homes Served Per Company: 1,660 homes
Average Gallons Delivered per New Hampshire Oil Company: 1,662,182 gallons per year