What Will Heating Oil and Propane Cost in Pennsylvania This Winter?
Heating oil costs far more than it did a year ago, while propane is up only modestly. The U.S. Energy Information Administration's weekly survey put Pennsylvania's average residential heating oil price at $5.833 a gallon on October 5, 2026, up 78.7% from $3.265 a year earlier. Propane averaged $3.150 a gallon, up 11.5% from $2.824. EIA's Winter Fuels Outlook, released October 6, 2026, expects households that heat with oil to spend 21% more than last winter, while Northeast propane households spend 15% less, with lower propane prices and a warmer winter both built into the forecast.
That price gap has flipped the order of the two fuels. Using EIA's heat content factors of 138,500 Btu in a gallon of heating oil and 91,452 Btu in a gallon of propane, one million Btu of fuel energy cost about $23.57 from oil and $30.88 from propane in early October 2025. On October 5, 2026, the same heat costs about $42.12 from oil and $34.44 from propane, before taxes and appliance losses. For rural Somerset County homes that burn either fuel, this guide covers current prices, why oil jumped, what EIA expects through March, and what you can do about the bill.
What Are Heating Oil and Propane Prices in Pennsylvania Right Now?
EIA collects residential heating oil and propane prices every week during the heating season, October through March, and publishes them on Wednesdays. Its prices exclude taxes. Here is how Pennsylvania's averages moved over the past year:
Week of | PA heating oil (per gallon) |
Oct. 6, 2025 | $3.265 |
Nov. 3, 2025 | $3.340 |
Jan. 5, 2026 | $3.348 |
Feb. 2, 2026 | $3.853 |
Mar. 2, 2026 | $4.065 |
Mar. 23, 2026 | $5.198 |
Oct. 5, 2026 | $5.833 |
Oil climbed 27.9% in the three weeks from March 2 to March 23, 2026, and opened this season higher still. Propane moved far less: $2.824 in October 2025, $3.000 in late January, $3.083 at the end of March and $3.150 on October 5, 2026. For comparison, EIA's October 5 averages were $6.042 for heating oil nationally and $6.084 in the Central Atlantic region. For propane, the national average was $2.598 and the Central Atlantic average $3.558.
Why Did Heating Oil Prices Jump?
EIA ties the increase to rising global crude oil and distillate prices. In the Winter Fuels Outlook, it explains that global production of distillate fuel, which includes heating oil, has dropped because of reduced refining activity around the world, and that U.S. distillate stocks are low heading into winter.
EIA also notes a lag. Changes in wholesale prices take about four to six weeks to reach retail prices, so the price on your next delivery reflects the market a month or more earlier.
Heating oil is a smaller fuel nationally, used by about 3% of U.S. households according to EIA, so the national average can differ from what Pennsylvania buyers pay.
What Does EIA Expect for the 2026 to 2027 Winter?
EIA's October 2026 forecast for U.S. heating oil households:
Average price of $5.26 a gallon for the winter, up 34% from last winter
Monthly averages of $5.79 in November, $5.46 in December, $5.26 in January, $5.06 in February and $4.84 in March
Average use of 402 gallons, down 9%
Average spending of $2,115, up 21%
For Northeast propane households, EIA expects an average price of $3.28 a gallon, down 6%, use of 515 gallons, down 10%, and spending of $1,687, down 15%.
The forecast assumes a warmer Northeast winter, with 12% fewer heating degree days, and EIA notes that NOAA has identified a strong El Niño pattern. A colder winter would raise both use and spending. EIA's spending figures also assume households pay the prevailing retail price, not a prebuy contract.
Which Heating Fuel Costs Less Per Btu Right Now?
Comparing fuels by the gallon or kilowatthour hides how much heat each one holds. Here is the cost of one million Btu of fuel energy using EIA's conversion factors and current figures:
Fuel | Price used | Cost per million Btu |
Heating oil | $5.833 per gallon (PA, Oct. 5, 2026) | $42.12 |
Propane | $3.150 per gallon (PA, Oct. 5, 2026) | $34.44 |
Electricity, resistance heat | 26.19 cents per kWh (Northeast winter forecast) | $76.76 |
Natural gas | $16.12 per thousand cubic feet (Northeast winter forecast) | $15.56 |
These are fuel costs before appliance efficiency. A heat pump changes the electric line, since it moves heat instead of making it. The U.S. Department of Energy says a heat pump can cut electricity use for heating by up to 75% compared with electric resistance heat. The guide to dual fuel systems for cold Pennsylvania weather explains how a heat pump can pair with a gas or propane backup.
How Can You Lower Your Heating Bill This Winter?
Fuel prices are out of your hands, but how much fuel you burn is not. A few steps help:
Schedule annual burner service. Beckett's oil burner manual says a qualified technician must service its burners every year, including a new nozzle, a new oil filter and a pump pressure check.
Keep the tank topped off between seasons. Beckett advises keeping the oil tank full, especially in summer, to prevent condensation inside the tank.
Ask about pricing plans. EIA's spending forecasts assume the retail price at delivery. Prebuy and budget plans work differently, so ask your supplier how theirs are priced.
Use the thermostat. The guide to how smart thermostats lower winter heating costs covers scheduling.
Check LIHEAP. Pennsylvania's 2026 to 2027 LIHEAP season opens November 2, 2026, with Cash grants from $200 to $1,000 and Crisis grants for households within 15 days of running out of fuel.
The guide to lowering your heating bills this winter lists more ways to cut use around the house.
FAQ
How much is heating oil in Pennsylvania right now?
EIA's weekly survey put the Pennsylvania residential average at $5.833 a gallon on October 5, 2026, before taxes. Check EIA's weekly update, published Wednesdays from October through March, for the latest figure.
Will heating oil prices go down this winter?
EIA's forecast has the U.S. average falling from $5.79 in November to $4.84 in March, though the winter average of $5.26 would still be 34% above last winter.
Is propane cheaper than heating oil?
Per gallon, yes. Per unit of heat, it is cheaper right now too: about $34.44 per million Btu for propane versus $42.12 for heating oil at October 5, 2026 Pennsylvania prices.
Why are heating oil prices so high in 2026?
EIA cites rising global crude oil and distillate prices, lower global distillate production from reduced refining, and low U.S. distillate stocks.
How long do price changes take to reach my delivery?
EIA says wholesale price changes take about four to six weeks to show up in retail prices.
Can I get help paying for heating oil in Pennsylvania?
Yes, if you qualify. LIHEAP Cash grants run from $200 to $1,000, and Crisis grants help households about to run out of fuel. The season opens November 2, 2026.
Van Bremen's Heat & Air Keeps Oil and Propane Systems Efficient
Van Bremen's Heat & Air installs and maintains gas and oil boilers, furnaces, heat pumps and propane garage heaters from its office at 214 Stoystown Rd in Somerset, serving Somerset, Fayette, Cambria and Westmoreland Counties and Morgantown, WV. A technician can service the burner and catch problems before the coldest weeks arrive. See the heating services page and maintenance services page.
Visit Van Bremen's Heat & Air or call (814) 483-1735 today. Contact us for more information.
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