EIA residential propane, Ohio
Ohio propane prices: $2.69 a gallon
Latest EIA residential survey, week ending 30 March 2026, the final release of the 2025-26 heating season. Weekly updates resume in October; the wholesale benchmark below is live.
A state that sits on the Utica and Marcellus wet-gas play and still pays close to the national rate for propane. Metro Ohio runs on natural gas, leaving propane to the rural Appalachian counties, the Holmes County Amish settlement, lakeshore cottages and the corn belt.
Latest EIA residential propane price
Source: EIA State Heating Oil and Propane Program, Ohio residential series. Refreshed automatically every Tuesday in season; wholesale daily.
Ohio at a glance
Latest survey$2.69/gal
vs week before-0.4c
vs 4 weeks before-2.0c
vs same week last year-1%
vs US ($2.67)1% above
Among 38 surveyed states18th cheapest
500-gal fill (400 usable)$1078
Week by week, 2025-26 season
Ohio against the US average
Every point is an EIA survey week. This season Ohio ran from a low of $2.41 (3 Nov) to a high of $2.75 (16 Feb), with the US average finishing at $2.67. Against the same week a year earlier it is -1%.
$2.41
Season low
3 November 2025
$2.75
Season high
16 February 2026
$2.73
Same week last year
31 March 2025, now -1%
$0.85
Wholesale today
Mont Belvieu spot, 15 September 2026, +17c vs a month ago
Source: EIA State Heating Oil and Propane Program, residential propane, full-service delivery, published October to March. Wholesale is the Mont Belvieu, TX spot price; retail usually follows it by four to eight weeks, which makes it the best off-season signal of where Ohio prices are heading.
What a fill costs in Ohio at $2.69
Tanks fill to 80% of their stated size to leave room for expansion, so a 500-gallon tank takes about 400 gallons. The right-hand column is the difference against the same fill at the US average.
| Tank | Usable gallons | Fill at $2.69 | vs US ($2.67) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 gal | 80 gal | $216 | +$2 |
| 250 gal | 200 gal | $539 | +$4 |
| 500 gal | 400 gal | $1078 | +$8 |
| 1000 gal | 800 gal | $2156 | +$17 |
A Ohio home heating on propane through a typical winter burns 1,000 to 1,500 gallons, so fuel alone runs about $2695 to $4042 at this price, before tank rent or a service plan. The average is a benchmark, not a quote: enter your ZIP to ask up to three local dealers what they would charge you.
Ohio against its Midwest neighbours
The cheapest Midwest cluster (Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, the Dakotas) hugs the Conway, Kansas storage hub and the central-plains fractionator network with dense agricultural volume. Ohio and the eastern Midwest run higher, further from Conway and carrying longer last-mile routes through more populated terrain.
| State | Price/gal | 500-gal fill | vs US ($2.67) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | $1.64 | $657 | -39% |
| Iowa | $1.66 | $664 | -38% |
| North Dakota | $1.70 | $680 | -36% |
| South Dakota | $1.84 | $736 | -31% |
| Kansas | $1.98 | $791 | -26% |
| Illinois | $2.03 | $810 | -24% |
| Minnesota | $2.06 | $822 | -23% |
| Wisconsin | $2.07 | $826 | -23% |
| Missouri | $2.21 | $884 | -17% |
| Michigan | $2.37 | $948 | -11% |
| Indiana | $2.63 | $1054 | -1% |
| Ohio | $2.69 | $1078 | +1% |
| Midwest average | $2.07 | $828 | -23% |
States marked regional est. are not surveyed individually by EIA and carry their PADD regional figure. Full table on prices by state.
Why Ohio runs 1% over the national average despite Utica supply
On paper Ohio should be cheap. Eastern Ohio sits directly on one of the largest NGL production zones in the world, with fractionation in eastern Ohio and across the river in West Virginia, and the Toledo and Lima refineries add propane as a refining co-product. The reasons it still prices where it does are structural.
Strong supply, but heavy demand on top of it.
Eastern Ohio recovers large volumes of NGLs from the Utica and Marcellus play, and in-state refineries add propane. But Ohio also carries heavy in-state demand: agricultural corn-drying, the dense Holmes-area Amish off-grid load, and rural Appalachian heating. Strong supply meets strong demand, so the residential price settles near the national average rather than below it.
Metro natural gas thins the propane customer base.
Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Toledo, Akron and Dayton run on natural gas, which covers most of the state's population. Propane is left with rural counties, Amish settlements, lakeshore cottages and out-of-footprint subdivisions. A smaller customer base means fewer supplier routes per square mile and weaker bulk-storage economies, which pushes per-gallon overhead higher than the raw supply position would predict.
The Appalachian south-east premium lifts the statewide number.
Belmont, Monroe, Noble, Guernsey, Athens, Vinton, Meigs, Morgan, Perry, Hocking, Jackson, Pike and Adams counties lean on propane because they sit outside the gas footprint. Longer routes, fewer competing suppliers, and added generator and farm demand push delivered prices about 15 to 30 cents a gallon above the urban band. The statewide EIA number blends both, so the rural delivered price is materially higher than the headline.
The pricier tier of the Midwest.
Ohio sits above the $2.07 Midwest regional average. The cheapest Midwest cluster (Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas) hugs the Conway, Kansas storage hub and the corn-belt fractionator network with dense agricultural volume and short routes. Ohio's blend of metro gas dominance and the Appalachian rural premium keeps it toward the top of the region.
Buying propane well in Ohio: four moves that change the bill
The gap between a careless fill and a well-run propane account here is usually a few hundred dollars a winter, and more if you sit in the Appalachian rural premium band.
01
Vet the dealer without a licence lookup
Ohio has no propane-dealer licence and no per-dealer registry to search, so vet a supplier another way. Confirm they carry commercial liability insurance, ask whether their technicians hold CETP credentials through the Ohio Propane Gas Association, and read independent reviews. Safety is enforced through the Ohio Fire Code (OAC 1301:7-7-61, NFPA 58) by the State Fire Marshal and local officials.
02
Lock summer, not autumn
Wholesale bottoms in summer when heating demand is near zero. Most Ohio suppliers run pre-buy enrolment from May through August. A 900-gallon household that locks even 15 cents a gallon cheaper banks well over $100 before the October-to-April season. Ask for a cap-price contract, so you keep the saving if winter wholesale falls, rather than a strict pre-buy, and ask whether unused pre-paid gallons roll forward. For farm corn-drying gallons, lock by July.
03
Quote all three supplier tiers
Ohio has a real three-tier market: national carriers, regional operators, and county-level independents. In rural Appalachian and northwest Ohio the spread between the cheapest local and the priciest national quote can reach 30 to 50 cents a gallon, so pull one written quote from each tier. If you own your tank, say so up front: it removes the switching penalty that leased-tank customers face.
04
Claim HEAP if you qualify
Ohio HEAP pays a once-yearly benefit straight to your propane supplier for households at or below 175 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, and the Winter Crisis Program covers households out of bulk fuel from November through March. PIPP Plus is the one to watch: it is open only to customers of PUCO-regulated electric and natural-gas utilities, so a propane-only household cannot put propane on it. Apply at energyhelp.ohio.gov or on 800-282-0880.
Rated by customers
Ohio propane dealers worth calling first
A short, hand-checked list with strong public review scores, spread across the state. Ratings were read from the platforms named in August 2026 and move over time; a high score is where to start, not a guarantee. Get three written quotes whoever you call.
North-central Ohio / Lorain County
Linden's Propane
Lagrange, Ohio
4.6361 reviews, Birdeye
Family-owned since 1958, delivering to homes, farms, and businesses across north-central Ohio. The largest verified review base of any Ohio independent we found.
See the reviews ›Northeast Ohio / Cleveland metro
The Gas House Propane
Cleveland, Ohio
4.754 reviews, Birdeye
Long-running Cleveland propane and hearth supplier serving Cuyahoga County and the eastern suburbs, repeatedly cited for service and fair pricing.
See the reviews ›Southwest Ohio / Dayton region
Collett Propane
Xenia, Ohio
4.652 reviews, Birdeye
Family-owned and operating since 1952, with residential and commercial delivery, tank sizing, and cylinder fills across southwest Ohio. BBB accredited.
See the reviews ›Northwest Ohio / Toledo region
Propane, Inc.
North Baltimore, Ohio
4.99 reviews, Birdeye
Independent serving northwest Ohio for more than 30 years. A small review base, but every rating on it is strong. We could not find an independent we would stand behind in Columbus, central or Appalachian south-east Ohio, so buyers there should quote local independents from the registry.
See the reviews ›Verified on the state registry
8 of the 64 Ohio dealers on the OH TAX register
| Dealer | City | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Amerigas Propane L P | Akron | listing |
| Amerigas Propane L P | Bridgeport | listing |
| Amerigas Propane L P | Cambridge | listing |
| Amerigas Propane L P | Canton | listing |
| Amerigas Propane L P | Chillicothe | listing |
| Amerigas Propane L P | Cortland | listing |
| Amerigas Propane L P | Grafton | listing |
| Amerigas Propane L P | Lima | listing |
Source: Ohio Department of Taxation Active Motor Fuel Retail Dealers list, captured 16 August 2026. A registry listing is a licence record, not an endorsement.
Ohio propane, the questions people ask
Does Ohio license propane dealers, and how do I check one?
Ohio is unusual: it does not run a statewide propane-dealer or LP-gas retailer licence, and there is no single public per-dealer lookup for propane suppliers. Safety oversight instead runs through the Ohio Fire Code administered by the Division of State Fire Marshal (Ohio Administrative Code 1301:7-7-61), which adopts NFPA 58 and is enforced together with local fire-code officials. Larger container installations need a State Fire Marshal permit, and fuel-gas appliance and piping installation falls under OAC 4101:8-24 through the Department of Commerce Division of Industrial Compliance. Because there is no dealer registry to search, verify a supplier a different way: confirm they carry commercial liability insurance, ask whether their technicians hold CETP (Certified Employee Training Program) credentials through the Ohio Propane Gas Association at ohiopropanegas.org, and check independent reviews. The dealer locations listed on this page are drawn from the Ohio Department of Taxation Active Motor Fuel Retail Dealers list, a tax-registration record rather than a safety licence.
Where do the dealers on this page come from?
Every Ohio location listed here is drawn from the Ohio Department of Taxation Active Motor Fuel Retail Dealers list, filtered to propane and LP-gas brands, captured on 16 August 2026. We chose that source because the Ohio State Fire Marshal LP-gas system was not publicly reachable on the ingest date and Ohio has no propane-dealer licence registry to draw from. The list gives registered propane retail locations with real street addresses and a state licence number, which is a solid, un-fakeable record of who is operating where. It is a tax-registration snapshot, not an endorsement or a safety licence, so still confirm insurance and get written quotes before you sign.
Am I eligible for Ohio HEAP propane help, and does PIPP cover propane?
Ohio's Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is the state's federally funded LIHEAP benefit, run by the Ohio Department of Development, Office of Community Assistance. For the 2025-2026 program year, households at or below 175 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines qualify (roughly $27,400 for one person and $56,300 for a family of four; households of nine or more use 60 percent of state median income). HEAP pays a once-yearly benefit straight to your propane supplier or bulk-fuel vendor, and applications must be received by 31 May 2026. The Winter Crisis Program runs 1 November through 31 March for households that are out of bulk fuel or facing disconnection, which is the part propane households lean on most. PIPP Plus (the Percentage of Income Payment Plan) is different: it caps monthly payments at a share of income but is only open to customers of PUCO-regulated electric and natural-gas utilities, so a propane-only household cannot put propane on PIPP. If you also have regulated gas or electric service, PIPP can cover that side while HEAP and the Winter Crisis Program handle the propane. Apply for all of them at energyhelp.ohio.gov or through your local Community Action Agency; phone 800-282-0880.
Why is propane essential in Ohio's Amish country?
The Holmes, Wayne, and Tuscarawas county settlement is one of the largest Old Order Amish communities in the world, with tens of thousands of members. Old Order households decline grid electricity but accept propane as a non-grid energy source, so propane runs gas refrigerators, gas ranges, gas-mantle lighting, water heaters, and many shop tools. That makes the Holmes County area one of the densest residential propane-demand pockets in the Midwest. Suppliers serving Berlin, Sugarcreek, Walnut Creek, Millersburg, Mount Hope, and Charm route trucks heavily through heating season, and several stock Amish-spec appliances. Many Amish households sign a standard pre-buy in spring for the following twelve months, which is usually the most competitive rate a Holmes County supplier offers.
Why do rural Appalachian south-east Ohio propane prices run above the state average?
Belmont, Monroe, Noble, Guernsey, Athens, Vinton, Meigs, Morgan, Perry, Hocking, Jackson, Pike, and Adams counties sit outside most of the Columbia Gas, Dominion Energy, and Duke Energy natural-gas footprint, so propane is the dominant non-electric heating fuel. On a supply basis that region should be cheap: it sits on the Utica and Marcellus wet-gas play with NGL fractionation nearby in eastern Ohio and across the river in West Virginia. But three things push delivered cost up. Routes are longer per customer, a bobtail truck covering Monroe County fills far fewer households in a day than a Columbus-suburb route. Fewer suppliers compete for the same address. And generator and farm demand layer on top of residential heat. Delivered prices in the rural Appalachian counties typically run about 15 to 30 cents a gallon above the state average, so the true rural number is higher than the statewide EIA figure of $2.69, which blends both bands.
Is propane used for corn drying in Ohio agriculture?
Yes, heavily. Ohio is one of the largest corn-producing states in the country, and propane drives most of the state's grain-drying capacity at harvest because it stores cleanly on-farm and beats diesel per BTU where natural gas is unavailable at rural elevators. A corn farmer drying 50,000 bushels from around 22 percent moisture down to 15 percent can burn several thousand gallons of propane in a six-to-eight-week harvest window from mid-September to early November. That demand layer is why suppliers in western Ohio (Mercer, Auglaize, Van Wert, Paulding, Putnam, Hancock, Wood, Henry, Defiance) and central Ohio (Madison, Union, Champaign, Logan, Fayette) run hard from late August. Lock in agricultural pre-buy by July; after that the corn-belt wholesale rate moves with weather forecasts rather than contracts.
Should I prep propane for Ohio storm and winter outages?
Yes. Ohio averages roughly 19 tornadoes a year, with peak season from April through July, and Lake Erie winter storms can knock power out for days in the lake counties (Lucas, Ottawa, Erie, Lorain, Cuyahoga, Lake, Ashtabula). Propane standby generators are the dominant whole-house backup option in Ohio because they run off the existing residential tank, do not need fuel stabilising like gasoline, and can meet multi-day outage runtimes. As a rough sizing guide, a 20kW standby unit burns about 2.5 to 3 gallons an hour at full load, so a 500-gallon tank at an 80 percent fill (400 usable gallons) supports roughly 130 to 160 hours of continuous backup. Most Ohio homeowners size for a 500-gallon tank; rural Appalachian households often go to 1,000 gallons because outages there can stretch longer. Commission generators in spring before storm season and again in autumn before winter rather than waiting for the first warning.
Should I use propane or natural gas in Ohio?
It depends entirely on whether your address has a natural-gas main. In Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Toledo, Akron, and Dayton and most established suburbs, natural gas (Columbia Gas of Ohio, Dominion Energy Ohio, or Duke Energy Ohio) is the default residential heating fuel and is usually cheaper per BTU than propane. If the main is on your street, gas generally wins on running cost. Propane dominates in rural Appalachian Ohio, in Holmes-area Amish country, in Lake Erie cottages, and in newer subdivisions outside the gas footprint, where it is the practical choice short of all-electric heat. That metro gas dominance is also why Ohio's residential propane customer base is smaller than the state's population suggests, which thins supplier route density and helps explain why the per-gallon price sits near the national average at $2.69 rather than below it, despite Ohio's strong in-state NGL supply.
Keep reading
All Ohio dealers
The complete verified directory of 64 Ohio propane dealers, by city and ZIP.
Dealers near you
Enter a ZIP to see the closest dealers and ask up to three for a price.
Propane prices today
The daily wholesale benchmark and the live state summer surveys.
Prices by state
All 50 states side by side, with regional context.
What a fill costs
Tank sizes, the 80% rule and the national refill guide.
How to pay less
Pre-buy timing, switching, owned versus leased tanks.
Propane vs natural gas
Per-BTU economics for Ohio homes inside versus outside the gas-main grid.