Homeowners have a variety of home heating fuels to choose from. Heating oil is the most popular choice in Orange County, used by 108,499 or 41.06% of homes. The 2nd most popular choice for Orange County homeowners is natural gas, used by 50,127 homes (18.97%). The remaining homes are heated with propane (50,123), wood (35,629), electricity (19,788), and other fuels (7,814).
Orange County Primary Home Heating Fuel Popularity by Number of Households
Fuel | Orange County Households | % of Households |
---|---|---|
Heating Oil | 108,499 | 41.06% |
Natural Gas | 50,127 | 18.97% |
Propane | 50,123 | 18.97% |
Wood | 35,629 | 13.48% |
Electricity | 19,788 | 7.49% |
Other Fuels | 5,692 | 2.15% |
Solar | 1,042 | 0.39% |
No Fuel | 619 | 0.23% |
Coal | 461 | 0.17% |
Heating oil (41.06)
Natural gas (18.97)
Propane (18.97)
Wood (13.48)
Electricity (7.49)
Other fuels (2.15)
Solar (0.39)
No fuel (0.23)
Coal (0.17)
Heating oil has become less popular in Orange County. In the 8 years since 2014, the number of heating oil homes fell from 117,459 to 108,499, a 7.63% drop.
Orange County Heating Oil Households (2011 - 2022)
Year | Heating Oil Households |
---|---|
2011 | 128,566 |
2012 | 124,072 |
2013 | 119,422 |
2014 | 117,459 |
2015 | 114,826 |
2016 | 111,441 |
2017 | 111,092 |
2018 | 110,704 |
2019 | 108,976 |
2020 | 110,870 |
2021 | 108,747 |
2022 | 108,499 |
Between 2014 and today, the number of homes using propane as the primary space heating fuel rose from 38,172 to 50,123.
Between 2014 and today, the number of homes using natural gas as the primary space heating fuel rose from 41,514 to 50,127.
Electric space heating systems are becoming more popular in Orange County. Since 2014, the number of homes heating with electricity rose from 12,077 to 19,788, a 63.85% 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, 1,042 homes in Orange County are heated with active solar arrays. This is a 492.05% increase from 2014, when only 176 homes had installed active solar heating.