Key takeaways
- Data as of the week of October 5, 2026 (released October 7): U.S. average residential heating oil was $6.042 per gallon, before taxes.
- That is about 70% higher than the same week a year earlier and above the previous weekly high of $5.902 in November 2022 (both not adjusted for inflation).
- EIA's October 6 forecast expects oil-heated households to spend about 21% more this winter than last.
The numbers
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) collects residential heating oil prices weekly from October through March. Its first survey of the 2026-27 season, for the week of October 5, 2026 and released October 7, put the U.S. average at $6.042 per gallon[1]. EIA's residential prices exclude taxes[1].
In EIA's weekly series, which begins in October 1990, that is the highest value on record. The previous high was $5.902 for the week of November 7, 2022. A year earlier, for the week of October 6, 2025, the price was $3.555, so this year's opening price is about 70% higher (Billix calculation)[2]. These are nominal prices, not adjusted for inflation.
| Area | Price | Change from a year earlier |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. average | $6.042 | +$2.487 |
| New England | $6.037 | +$2.561 |
| New York | $6.230 | +$2.391 |
| Massachusetts | $6.119 | +$2.571 |
| Pennsylvania | $5.833 | +$2.568 |
What EIA expects this winter
In its Winter Fuels Outlook published October 6, 2026, EIA forecast an average heating oil price of $5.26 per gallon for October through March, up 34% from last winter, with monthly forecasts falling from $5.79 in November to $4.84 in March. It expects households that heat mainly with oil, about 3% of U.S. households, to spend about $2,115, or 21% more than last winter[3].
EIA attributes the increase to lower global production of distillate fuel, which includes heating oil, because of reduced refining activity, and to low U.S. distillate inventories heading into winter[3]. Its forecasts assume a warmer winter in the Northeast than last year, and EIA notes that a strong El Niño pattern could cause large temperature differences from its forecast[3].
What to watch
- EIA's next weekly heating oil release is scheduled for October 15, 2026, and its next Short-Term Energy Outlook for November 10, 2026[1][3].
- Weekly averages are not the price any one dealer charges. Delivered prices, taxes and fees vary by dealer and state.
- For how to compare oil with gas or a heat pump using the cost of the same heat, see Leaving oil heat: gas, heat pump or mini-splits?.
Watch Alice explain it
Try the numbers
Heating Cost Comparison
Oil vs. gas vs. heat pump vs. propane on the same unit of heat.
On our roadmap
Sources
- 1.Heating Oil and Propane Update. U.S. Energy Information Administration. Checked October 13, 2026.Week of October 5, 2026; released October 7, 2026.
- 2.Weekly U.S. No. 2 Heating Oil Residential Price (series W_EPD2F_PRS_NUS_DPG). U.S. Energy Information Administration. Checked October 13, 2026.Series begins October 1990. Release date 10/7/2026.
- 3.Winter Fuels Outlook 2026-27. U.S. Energy Information Administration. Checked October 13, 2026.Published October 6, 2026; forecast completed October 1, 2026.
Billix Editorial Team
Researched and written by the Billix editorial team, and checked against the primary sources listed below each article. How we research. Spot an error? Report a correction.
Educational information only. Not financial, legal or tax advice.