South Carolina Propane Price 2026: Cost Per Gallon, Suppliers & Delivery

South Carolina residential propane runs $3.51/gal in 2026, roughly 31% above the $2.67 national average and 8% above the South regional average of $3.26/gal. EIA does not publish a state-level SC series, so this figure is the PADD 1C Lower Atlantic regional estimate. Below: the supplier guidance, fill-by-tank-size math, hurricane-season timing, and the LIHEAP path for SC homes.

Latest EIA residential propane price

Source: EIA PADD 1C Lower Atlantic residential propane estimate (no EIA South Carolina state-level series; SC is represented by the regional PADD 1C figure). Current data is the final release of the 2025/26 heating season (week ending 30 March 2026). EIA pauses weekly publication April-September; next release expected October 2026. Refreshed 26 May 2026.

About this number. EIA's SHOPP weekly survey does not publish a state-level series for South Carolina. The $3.51/gal figure on this page is the PADD 1C Lower Atlantic regional residential estimate (covering VA, NC, SC, GA, FL, WV) for the week ending 30 March 2026, used as a proxy. SC retail quotes against this number reliably, but expect more spread than you would see in a state with a direct EIA series. Pull two or three written quotes from licensed SC dealers before signing.

South Carolina Propane Pricing Snapshot (2026)

South Carolina residential avg

$3.51/gal

EIA PADD 1C Lower Atlantic estimate, week ending 30 March 2026

vs national average

+31%

National avg $2.67/gal. SC pays $0.84 more per gallon.

vs South region avg

+8%

Region avg $3.26/gal. SC sits above the regional norm.

Annual fuel cost (1,000 gal)

$3512

Typical SC propane-heat household uses 600-1,000 gal/year (mild winters)

500-gallon refill (400 usable)

$1405

Most common residential tank size in SC

Pre-buy savings (May-Aug)

$200-$400/yr

Lock-in beats winter spot pricing; coastal SC pre-buy may open as early as April

South Carolina sits above the South regional average in 2026 because PADD 1C Lower Atlantic propane prices structurally run higher than PADD 3 Gulf Coast supply. Hurricane preparedness on the Coastal counties, low residential customer density outside Charleston and Greenville metros, and agricultural propane demand from the SC peach, peanut, and broiler-poultry belt all add load to a relatively thin retail network.

Why South Carolina Sits Where It Does

SC at $3.51/gal sits in the upper half of the South Census division. Florida, Alabama, and Virginia run higher; North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia run lower. The drivers are geographic, demand-shaped, and structural rather than seasonal.

1. PADD 1C Lower Atlantic supply geography. SC sources propane from PADD 1C Lower Atlantic terminals rather than direct PADD 3 Gulf Coast supply. PADD 1C residential averages have run 30-50 cents above PADD 3 in recent years because of pipeline tariffs, terminal handoff costs, and longer delivery legs. Inland SC counties (Aiken, Lexington, Richland) sometimes draw indirectly off the Plantation pipeline corridor; the Upcountry pulls partly from Atlanta-area distribution.

2. Coastal SC hurricane preparedness demand. Charleston, Beaufort, Berkeley, Horry, and Georgetown counties carry concentrated generator and tank top-off demand June through November. Suppliers price hurricane-prep risk into year-round contracts and hold larger storage buffers. Hilton Head and Mount Pleasant in particular have seen propane spot premiums during named-storm threats. The cost of carrying that supply readiness is reflected in SC retail rates above neighbouring NC and GA.

3. Natural gas dominance in metro SC. Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville-Spartanburg metros run on natural gas distribution from Dominion Energy SC and Piedmont Natural Gas. That leaves the propane customer base concentrated in the rural Pee Dee (Marlboro, Dillon, Marion, Williamsburg), Upcountry mountain counties (Pickens, Oconee), and Lowcountry agricultural counties. Lower customer density means smaller route economies and higher per-gallon overhead.

4. Agricultural propane load. SC is the #1 peach producer in the Southeast, runs significant peanut acreage in the Coastal Plain, and is a top-12 US broiler-chicken state with Upcountry and Pee Dee poultry houses. All three operations use propane intensively for crop drying, frost protection, and poultry-house heat. Agricultural demand spikes seasonally and competes with residential supply for storage and tanker capacity, especially in Anderson, Aiken, Bamberg, Barnwell, and Florence counties.

5. Military and commercial propane demand. Fort Jackson (Columbia), Shaw AFB (Sumter), and Parris Island (Beaufort) anchor commercial propane demand independent of residential. So do the Charleston and Hilton Head hospitality clusters. Commercial contracts typically lock at lower per-gallon rates than residential, leaving residential customers absorbing more of the route overhead in surrounding zip codes.

South Carolina Propane Companies: Verified Supplier List

We publish supplier lists only once each name has been verified against the SC Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board's licensed-dealer list and the supplier's active service-area page. While our SC list is in editorial review, use the regulator and trade-body directories below to source quotes.

Tier-1 supplier list coming.A hand-curated list of named South Carolina propane suppliers (with HQ, coverage area, and notes on contract types) is in our editorial pipeline. We do not generate supplier names from training data; that is a hallucination risk we treat seriously. In the interim, use the official SC sources below.

SC Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board (regulator), licensed-dealer list at llr.sc.gov/lp. Operating under the State Fire Marshal's office in the SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. Contact: contact.lpgas@llr.sc.gov or (803) 896-5571.
South Carolina Propane Gas Association (trade body, founded 1948), scpropane.com. Now part of the Southeast Propane Alliance covering NC, SC, and GA at southeastpropane.org.
National Propane Gas Association member directory, npga.org. National-chain coverage that operates in SC zip codes.

When sourcing quotes, always get a written estimate that itemises per-gallon price, delivery fee, tank rental (if applicable), minimum-delivery surcharge, and any monthly tank fee. Compare two or three quotes before committing. In SC, per-gallon spreads of 30 to 50 cents within the same county are common, especially across the urban-rural boundary in Greenville, Richland, and Charleston counties.

South Carolina Propane Fill Costs by Tank Size (at $3.51/gal)

Propane tanks fill to 80% of stated capacity (the "80% rule") to allow for thermal expansion. The SC State Fire Marshal's LP-Gas Board enforces NFPA 58 across the state, and a Deputy Fire Marshal inspection is required after install. Below is what each fill costs at the SC PADD 1C 2026 estimate. Real-world quotes vary 10-15% above or below the EIA proxy depending on supplier, contract, and delivery frequency.

Tank size	Usable gallons (80%)	Fill cost at $3.51/gal	vs national ($2.67/gal)
100 gal	80 gal	$281	+$67
250 gal	200 gal	$702	+$168
500 gal	400 gal	$1405	+$335
1000 gal	800 gal	$2810	+$670

Compare to the national refill cost guide or check pricing in other states.

South Carolina Heating Season, Annual Use, and LIHEAP

South Carolina's residential heating season runs roughly four months, December through March, with peak demand in January. Coastal counties (Charleston, Beaufort, Horry) see milder winters and lower whole-house propane load; Upcountry counties (Greenville, Pickens, Oconee, Spartanburg) hit harder cold snaps and burn through propane at near-NC rates during a deep freeze. Shoulder months (October-November and April) carry modest space-heating draw on cold nights.

Typical SC propane-heat households consume 600-1,000 gallons per year, lower than Northeast or Midwest equivalents because winters are shorter and milder. A 2,000 sqft Lowcountry home with propane handling space heat, water heat, and cooking averages 600-750 gallons. A 2,400 sqft Upcountry home with similar load averages 850-1,000. A propane-only-for-cooking-and-water-heating household runs 100-250 gallons annually.

Translated to dollars at the 2026 SC estimate: a 1,000 gallon household pays $3512 per year for fuel alone, before tank rental fees, delivery surcharges, or service contracts. That is around $838 more than a comparable household in a national-average market.

LIHEAP via SC Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO). The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program in SC is administered by the Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity (oeo.sc.gov), working through county-level Community Action Agencies. FY2026 federal allocation for SC is roughly $49.4 million. Heating benefits run $200-$850 per season, cooling $200-$775, and a crisis benefit up to $1,000 covers emergency fuel deliveries. Propane is an explicitly covered fuel. Income eligibility is at or below 60% of State Median Income, with priority for households with elderly members, young children, or persons with disabilities. Application window is December 1 through March 31. General OEO line: 803-734-0662. Apply through your local CAA: Palmetto Community Action Partnership covers Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester; Carolina Community Actions covers Spartanburg, Cherokee, and Union.

Hurricane prep changes the timing rules. If you live east of I-95 in SC (Charleston, Beaufort, Berkeley, Horry, Georgetown counties), pre-buy enrollment may open as early as April rather than the usual May-August window seen inland. Coastal SC suppliers want customers locked in before hurricane season starts on June 1. Take advantage. If you live in the Midlands or Upcountry, June-August is the standard pre-buy window without the storm-prep urgency. Tactical play: arrive at hurricane season (June 1) with a 75-80% full tank from a March-April top-up at shoulder-season prices.

South Carolina vs Other South Region States (2026)

State	Price/gal	500-gal refill (400 usable)	vs national ($2.67)
Florida	$4.71	$1882	+76%
Alabama	$3.52	$1406	+31%
Virginia	$3.56	$1426	+33%
South Carolina (this page)	$3.51	$1405	+31%
North Carolina	$3.45	$1380	+29%
Tennessee	$3.25	$1299	+21%
Georgia	$3.16	$1266	+18%
South region average	$3.26	$1304	+22%
National average	$2.67	$1070	0%

South Carolina sits in the upper half of the South cluster: behind Florida, Alabama, and Virginia, ahead of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia. Florida runs the highest in the cluster because its propane load is concentrated in rural panhandle and Big Bend counties with long delivery legs from Mobile and Tampa terminals. Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi (not shown here, see full state list) run cheapest in the South division because they sit directly on PADD 3 Gulf Coast supply. The full South region averages $3.26/gal, sitting just below the $2.67 national mark.

South Carolina Propane FAQ

Why is the South Carolina propane price quoted as a regional estimate, not a state-level number?

EIA's State Heating Oil and Propane Program (SHOPP) does not publish a weekly residential propane price for South Carolina specifically. SHOPP only sample-surveys a subset of states each season; SC is not in that subset. The $3.51/gal figure on this page is the EIA PADD 1C (Lower Atlantic: VA, NC, SC, GA, FL, WV) residential estimate for the week ending 30 March 2026, used as the best available proxy for SC. PADD 1C is a tighter regional cluster than the four-state Census "South" division, so the proxy is reasonable, but expect real SC quotes to vary against this number more than they would in a state with a direct EIA series. Always pull two or three written quotes from licensed SC dealers and treat the $3.51/gal figure as a midline benchmark, not a contract rate.

Who has the cheapest propane in South Carolina?

There is no single cheapest supplier statewide. Pricing varies by county, contract type, and delivery frequency. In the SC market, smaller route-dense regional operators serving the Pee Dee, Upcountry, and Lowcountry rural belts often undercut national chains by $0.20-$0.40/gal because they have lower overhead and shorter delivery loops. Always request quotes from at least three suppliers, including one national chain (AmeriGas, Suburban Propane), one regional family operator with in-state bulk storage, and one local independent in your county. Lock-in contracts and pre-buy programs in May-August routinely save $0.30-$0.60/gal versus paying winter spot rates, and that lever matters even more in SC because the proxy-pricing nature of PADD 1C means weekly noise is higher.

Why is propane in South Carolina sitting above the South regional average?

SC's $3.51/gal puts it about 8% above the South Census-division average of $3.26/gal in the 2026 dataset. The driver is supply geography, not retail competition. SC sits in EIA's PADD 1C Lower Atlantic supply zone, which prices roughly 30-50 cents above PADD 3 Gulf Coast and 20-30 cents above the deep-South cluster of TX, LA, MS, AR. Coastal SC (Charleston, Beaufort, Berkeley, Horry, Georgetown) layers in hurricane prep demand: every Atlantic season, generator and tank top-off demand spikes June-November, which propane suppliers price into year-round contracts. Charleston, Columbia, and Greenville metro households mostly burn natural gas, so propane's customer base concentrates in the rural Pee Dee, the Upcountry mountains, and Lowcountry agricultural counties. Lower density routes carry higher per-gallon overhead.

Am I eligible for South Carolina LIHEAP energy assistance?

Yes if your household is at or below 60% of State Median Income. SC LIHEAP is administered by the SC Governor's Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) at oeo.sc.gov, working through county-level Community Action Agencies (CAAs). Federal FY2026 funding for SC LIHEAP is roughly $49.4 million, with heating benefits ranging $200-$850 per season, cooling $200-$775, and a crisis benefit up to $1,000 for emergency fuel deliveries. Propane is an explicitly covered fuel. The application window is December 1 to March 31. Apply through your local CAA: Palmetto Community Action Partnership (Charleston/Berkeley/Dorchester), Carolina Community Actions (Spartanburg/Cherokee/Union), and other agencies cover specific county clusters. General OEO line: 803-734-0662. Apply early in the season; SC suppliers prioritise crisis-only deliveries during January-February peak demand and routes can stretch a week or more.

Who regulates propane suppliers in South Carolina?

The SC Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board, part of the SC Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (LLR) and operating under the State Fire Marshal's office, regulates LP-Gas in South Carolina. The Board adopts NFPA 58 (Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code) as referenced in the state's ICC codes, and licensing covers manufacture, distribution, sale, storage, transport (by tank truck, tank trailer, or cylinder), and installation/service of LP-gas appliances. Tank installations require a post-install inspection by a Deputy State Fire Marshal acting on behalf of the Board; the supplier requests this inspection at contact.lpgas@llr.sc.gov or (803) 896-5571. Practical implication for buyers: never sign a propane contract with a dealer who is not on the LP-Gas Board's licensed list. Verify at llr.sc.gov/lp before committing. Industry trade body for SC suppliers is the South Carolina Propane Gas Association (scpropane.com), founded 1948 and now part of the Southeast Propane Alliance covering NC, SC, and GA.

How much does a tank fill cost at the current South Carolina rate?

At the SC PADD 1C estimate of $3.51/gal, filling a 500-gallon residential tank to its 80%-rule capacity (400 usable gallons) costs about $1405. A 250-gallon tank fills for about $702, and a 1,000-gallon tank fills for about $2810. Propane tanks fill to 80% rather than 100% to allow for thermal expansion in summer heat, which is a federal NFPA 58 safety requirement enforced in SC by the State Fire Marshal's LP-Gas Board. A typical SC propane-heated household uses 600-1,000 gallons per year, lower than the Northeast 800-1,200 range because winters are milder, so annual fuel spend at the current rate runs roughly $2107 to $3512. Coastal and Lowcountry households often run on the lower end; Upcountry mountain counties (Pickens, Oconee, Greenville foothills) run higher.

When is the cheapest time to buy propane in South Carolina?

Late spring and early summer (May through July) are typically the lowest-price windows in SC. Wholesale propane bottoms in this window when residential demand is near zero and refinery output is high. Hurricane season (June 1 to November 30) introduces a wrinkle in SC that doesn't apply in inland states: Coastal SC suppliers occasionally push pre-buy enrollment as early as April to lock customers in before any named storm threatens the Lower Atlantic. If you live east of I-95, take advantage of April-May pre-buy windows; if you live in the Upcountry or Midlands, June-August offers the same price floor without the storm-prep urgency. Avoid filling December-February if you can help it: that is when wholesale spreads widen and SC retail spot rates can spike $0.30-$0.60/gal above summer lows. Tactical play: arrive at hurricane season with a 75-80% full tank from a March-April top-up.