Homeowners have a variety of home heating fuels to choose from. Natural gas is the most popular choice in New York, used by 4,167,727 or 60.87% of homes. The 2nd most popular choice for New York homeowners is heating oil, used by 1,284,453 homes (18.76%). The remaining homes are heated with electricity (912,246), propane (274,307), no fuel (122,318), and other fuels (170,549).
New York Primary Home Heating Fuel Popularity by Number of Households
Fuel | New York Households | % of Households |
---|---|---|
Natural Gas | 4.1M | 60.87% |
Heating Oil | 1.2M | 18.76% |
Electricity | 912,246 | 13.32% |
Propane | 274,307 | 4.01% |
No Fuel | 122,318 | 1.79% |
Other Fuels | 86,996 | 1.27% |
Wood | 67,145 | 0.98% |
Coal | 8,461 | 0.12% |
Solar | 7,947 | 0.12% |
Natural gas (60.87)
Heating oil (18.76)
Electricity (13.32)
Propane (4.01)
No fuel (1.79)
Other fuels (1.27)
Wood (0.98)
Coal (0.12)
Solar (0.12)
Heating oil has become less popular in New York. In the 10 years since 2012, the number of heating oil homes fell from 1,963,029 to 1,284,453, a 34.57% drop.
New York Heating Oil Households (2011 - 2022)
Year | Heating Oil Households |
---|---|
2011 | 2.0M |
2012 | 1.9M |
2013 | 1.8M |
2014 | 1.7M |
2015 | 1.7M |
2016 | 1.6M |
2017 | 1.5M |
2018 | 1.4M |
2019 | 1.4M |
2020 | 1.3M |
2021 | 1.3M |
2022 | 1.2M |
Between 2012 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose from 152,487 to 274,307.
Between 2012 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel rose from 3,545,456 to 4,167,727.
Electric space heating systems are becoming more popular in New York. Since 2012, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 590,276 to 912,246, a 54.55% 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, 7,947 homes in New York are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 375.87% increase from 2012, when only 1,670 homes had installed active solar heating.
Short Term Trends
Heating Season | Average Temperature |
---|---|
Winter 2022 - 2023 | 46.5° F |
Winter 2021 - 2022 | 40.8° F |
For New York homeowners heating with oil, selecting which of the 1,365 heating oil companies that serve New York 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 290 “full-service” oil companies that serve New York. Full service companies such as AAA Fuel & Service Inc or Ace Oil Inc 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 York 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 York include Aero Star Petroleum Inc and Afco Fuel LLC.
New York Heating Oil Company Fast Facts
Heating Oil Companies Serving New York: 1,365 companies
Average Number Of New York Homes Served Per Company: 940 homes
Average Gallons Delivered per New York Oil Company: 486,995 gallons per year