Vermont Propane Price 2026: Cost Per Gallon, Suppliers & Delivery

Vermont residential propane runs $3.73/gal in 2026, among the most expensive Northeast states and roughly 40% above the national mark. This is the no-spin breakdown: how Vermont's cold-climate severity, rural mountain routes, and Affordable Heat Act policy pressure shape what you pay, plus the licensed-dealer rules, Seasonal Fuel Assistance via DCF, and the propane-vs-cordwood-vs-heat-pump math at VT prices.

Latest EIA residential propane price

Source: EIA Vermont residential propane price survey. 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.

Vermont Propane Pricing Snapshot (2026)

Vermont residential avg

$3.73/gal

EIA SHOPP weekly survey, statewide retail residential delivery

vs national average

+40%

National avg $2.67/gal. VT pays $1.06 more per gallon.

vs Northeast region avg

+1%

Region avg $3.69/gal. VT runs above the regional norm.

Annual fuel cost (1,000 gal)

$3733

Typical VT propane-heat household uses 800-1,200 gal/year given cold-climate severity

500-gallon refill (400 usable)

$1493

Most common residential tank size in VT

Pre-buy savings (May-Aug)

$300-$600/yr

Lock-in or cap-price contracts beat winter spot pricing in cold-snap months

Vermont is one of the more expensive US markets for residential propane. In the current EIA dataset VT clusters with Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, Maryland, and Delaware at the top of the Northeast pack. Pricing pressure comes from distance to Gulf Coast production, no in-state NGL output, severe cold-climate consumption that strains regional storage in January-February, and rural-route economics across the Green Mountains and Northeast Kingdom.

Why Vermont Propane Prices Sit Where They Do

VT consistently sits in the top decile of US residential propane prices and near the top of the Northeast cluster. The drivers are structural, not seasonal. They will not normalise without major shifts in regional propane infrastructure or in Vermont's heating-fuel mix.

1. Distance from production, no in-state NGL output. Roughly 90% of US propane comes from natural gas processing in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and the Marcellus/Utica shale (PA, OH, WV). Vermont sits 1,500+ miles from Gulf Coast supply, has zero in-state propane production, and depends on rail-to-truck terminals in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania before bobtail delivery into the state. Every transfer adds margin before retail markup.

2. Cold-climate severity and storage strain. Vermont sees multi-week sub-zero stretches in the Northeast Kingdom and at higher elevations, with the coldest nights regularly hitting -20F to -40F. Cold-climate consumption pushes household burn well above the national norm, and propane vapor-pressure issues at extreme cold force suppliers to maintain larger on-site reserves and run more conservative auto-fill thresholds. Both lift per-gallon overhead.

3. Rural mountain route economics. Caledonia, Essex, Orleans, Lamoille, and rural Windham/Bennington county delivery routes serve a fraction of the customers per mile that Chittenden County routes do, but pay the same driver, truck, and fuel cost. Suppliers spread route overhead across fewer gallons, so rural Vermont quotes can run $0.20-$0.50/gal above the statewide average even at the same supplier.

4. Heating-oil and cordwood competition limits propane scale. Vermont has one of the highest heating-oil shares of any US state for residential heating, plus a deep cordwood culture (about a fifth of VT households use wood as primary or supplemental heat). That keeps the propane customer base small and dispersed. Fewer customers per supplier route, smaller storage volumes per terminal, and weaker supplier-level economies of scale all push per-gallon overhead up.

5. Affordable Heat Act / Clean Heat Standard policy pressure. Vermont's Affordable Heat Act (Act 18, 2023) directs the Public Utility Commission to require fossil-fuel heating providers to reduce delivered-fuel emissions or buy clean-heat credits. PUC modeling projects per-gallon propane price increases of 8-9 cents in year one and roughly 58 cents/gallon by 2035 if implemented. The policy uncertainty itself is shaping supplier pricing and contract structures today, even before final legislative authorization.

Vermont Propane Companies: How to Find a Licensed Dealer

Buying propane from an unlicensed dealer in Vermont is both a safety risk and a consumer-protection risk. Vermont propane installation, service, and dealer licensing sits with the Vermont Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire Safety, which adopts and enforces NFPA 58 (LP-Gas Code). Anyone installing, inspecting, or servicing propane equipment in Vermont must hold a Certificate of Fitness from the Division of Fire Safety, with dealer licensing requiring NPGA Certified Employee Training Program (CETP) modules 1.0 and 2.2/2.4. Three reliable verification points:

Vermont Division of Fire Safety, gas certifications and dealer licensing at firesafety.vermont.gov/licensing/gas-certifications. Trade Licensing line: 802-479-7564 (DPS Fire Safety, 1311 US Route 302 Suite 600, Barre VT 05641).
Propane Gas Association of New England (PGANE), regional trade body covering all six New England states at pgane.org. Member directory is a useful cross-check on supplier credibility.
National Propane Gas Association (NPGA), national member directory at npga.org.

Always get a written quote that itemises per-gallon price, delivery fee, tank rental (if applicable), minimum-delivery surcharge, and any monthly tank fee. Compare two or three quotes, including one regional/family operator and one local independent, before signing a service contract or pre-buy. Per-gallon spreads of $0.30-$0.50 within the same Vermont county are common, and rural Northeast Kingdom quotes routinely sit $0.20-$0.50 above the $3.73/gal statewide average.

Tier-1 Vermont supplier list coming. A hand-curated list of named Vermont propane suppliers (with HQ, coverage area, and notes on contract types) is in our editorial pipeline. We publish supplier lists only once each name has been verified against the Division of Fire Safety licensed-dealer list and the supplier's active service-area page. We do not generate supplier names from training data; that is a hallucination risk we treat seriously.

Vermont Propane Fill Costs by Tank Size (at $3.73/gal)

Propane tanks fill to 80% of stated capacity (the "80% rule") to allow for thermal expansion. Below is what each fill costs at the VT 2026 statewide average. Real-world quotes vary 10-15% above or below the EIA average depending on supplier, contract, and route, Northeast Kingdom and rural mountain quotes typically sit at the top of that band.

Tank size	Usable gallons (80%)	Fill cost at $3.73/gal	vs national ($2.67/gal)
100 gal	80 gal	$299	+$85
250 gal	200 gal	$747	+$212
500 gal	400 gal	$1493	+$424
1000 gal	800 gal	$2986	+$847

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

Vermont Heating Season & Annual Use

Vermont's residential heating season runs roughly six months, late October through mid-April, with peak demand in January and February when Northeast Kingdom and high-elevation lows routinely break -20F. Spring (April-May) and fall (September-October) shoulder seasons see meaningful space-heating demand on cold nights, while June-August is essentially water-heating and cooking only for propane-heated households.

Typical VT propane-heat households consume 800-1,200 gallons per year, depending on house size, insulation, elevation, and whether wood, oil, or a heat pump shares the load. A 2,400 sqft Cape in Chittenden County with propane handling space heat, water heat, range, and dryer averages 1,000-1,200 gallons. The same house in Caledonia or Orleans County can run 1,200-1,500 gallons because of the harder cold and longer season. A propane-only-for-cooking-and-water-heating household, with electric, oil, or wood for space heat, runs 150-300 gallons annually.

Translated to dollars at the 2026 VT statewide average: a 1,000 gallon household pays $3733 per year for fuel alone, before tank rental fees, delivery surcharges, or service contracts. That is roughly $1059 more than a comparable household in a national-average market and around $1553 more than a Texas household at the cheapest US end. A high-burn Northeast Kingdom household at 1,400 gallons spends $5226 per year, before any rural-route premium.

Vermont Seasonal Fuel Assistance for income-qualified households. Vermont's LIHEAP variant, Seasonal Fuel Assistance, is administered by the VT Department for Children and Families (DCF), Economic Services Division, and covers propane and other deliverable fuels. FY 2026 funding is about $23.1M, with seasonal heating benefits ranging from $21 minimum to $2,089 maximum paid directly to your supplier. Eligibility is gross household income at or below 185% of federal poverty (subject to LIHEAP-set maximums near 60% State Median Income). Vermont's per-household benefit is unusually generous compared to most LIHEAP variants, which matters at $3.73/gal. Apply via the myBenefits portal at dcf.vermont.gov/benefits/fuel, by mail (1-800-479-6151), or in-person. Active SFA households also qualify for free weatherization.

Summer pre-buy is the single biggest lever. Pre-buying or capping in May-August routinely saves $300-$600 per year for a 1,000 gallon Vermont household versus paying winter spot rates during cold-snap weeks. Most VT suppliers run pre-buy enrollment between May 1 and August 31. Read the fine print: cap-price contracts let you keep savings if wholesale falls; flat pre-buy locks you in either direction. With Affordable Heat Act per-gallon increases of 8-9 cents projected for year-one if implemented, pre-buy contracts that lock pre-CHS pricing become more valuable.

Vermont vs Other Northeast States (2026)

State	Price/gal	500-gal refill (400 usable)	vs national ($2.67)
Connecticut	$4.12	$1646	+54%
New Jersey	$3.82	$1528	+43%
New Hampshire	$3.78	$1512	+41%
Rhode Island	$3.76	$1503	+41%
New York	$3.75	$1499	+40%
Vermont (this page)	$3.73	$1493	+40%
Delaware	$3.73	$1492	+40%
Massachusetts	$3.65	$1460	+36%
Maine	$3.52	$1409	+32%
Pennsylvania	$3.08	$1233	+15%
Northeast regional avg	$3.69	$1476	+38%
National average	$2.67	$1070	0%

Vermont sits in the top tier of the Northeast cluster, behind Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, and Maryland but ahead of Delaware, Massachusetts, Virginia, Maine, and Pennsylvania in the current EIA dataset. Pennsylvania's notably lower price reflects shorter rail distance to Marcellus/Utica supply, a denser propane customer base, and in-state NGL output, none of which Vermont has. The full Northeast region averages $3.69/gal, all of which sits well above the $2.67 national mark.

Vermont Propane FAQ

Am I eligible for Vermont Seasonal Fuel Assistance (LIHEAP) for propane?

Vermont's LIHEAP variant is officially called Seasonal Fuel Assistance, administered by the Vermont Department for Children and Families (DCF), Economic Services Division. Eligibility is gross household income at or below 185% of the federal poverty level (also subject to LIHEAP-set income maximums set at roughly 60% of State Median Income). For FY 2026 the program is funded at about $23.1M, with seasonal heating benefits ranging from a $21 minimum to a $2,089 maximum paid directly to your propane supplier (or other deliverable-fuel vendor). Vermont's per-household benefit is unusually generous compared to most other states' LIHEAP variants, which matters at the state's $3.73/gal residential rate. Apply through the myBenefits portal at dcf.vermont.gov/benefits/fuel, by mail (call 1-800-479-6151 for a paper application), or in-person at a local district office. Active Seasonal Fuel Assistance households are also eligible for free weatherization services. Apply early in the heating season, Vermont's January-February cold snaps push crisis applications into delivery delays.

Why is propane so expensive in Vermont at $3.73/gal?

Vermont sits among the most expensive Northeast states for residential propane in the latest EIA SHOPP release, behind only Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, and Maryland. The drivers are structural. First, distance from production: Vermont is 1,500+ miles from Gulf Coast NGL output and depends on rail-to-truck terminals in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, with no in-state propane production. Second, cold-climate severity, multi-week sub-zero stretches in the Northeast Kingdom (Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans counties) push household consumption well above the national norm, while propane vapor pressure issues in extreme cold force suppliers to maintain larger reserves. Third, rural-route economics: Vermont's mountain communities have sparse delivery routes that spread fixed truck and dispatch costs across far fewer customers per mile than denser states. Fourth, heating-oil and cordwood compete heavily, keeping the propane customer base small and supplier-level economies of scale weak. The 2026 EIA average for VT is $3.73/gal versus the $2.67 national average and a $3.69 Northeast regional average, VT runs above the regional norm by roughly $0.04/gal.

How do I find a licensed propane dealer in Vermont?

Propane installation, service, and dealer licensing in Vermont sits with the Vermont Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire Safety, which adopts and enforces NFPA 58 (LP-Gas Code). Anyone installing, inspecting, or servicing propane equipment in Vermont must hold a Certificate of Fitness from the Division of Fire Safety, and dealer licensing requires completion of National Propane Gas Association Certified Employee Training Program (CETP) modules 1.0 and 2.2/2.4. Verify any company's licensing through firesafety.vermont.gov/licensing/gas-certifications or by calling Trade Licensing at 802-479-7564. The Propane Gas Association of New England (PGANE) at pgane.org is the regional trade body, its member directory is a useful cross-check. NPGA's national directory at npga.org is a third reference point. If a quote comes from a company that does not appear on the Division of Fire Safety licensed list, do not sign, unlicensed delivery is both a safety and a consumer-protection risk in Vermont's cold-climate market.

Why does propane cost more in the Northeast Kingdom and rural mountain Vermont?

Northeast Kingdom counties (Caledonia, Essex, Orleans) and the Green Mountain spine routinely see per-gallon quotes $0.20-$0.50/gal above Chittenden and Franklin county pricing. The reason is route economics: a propane bobtail running into Island Pond, Canaan, or rural Lamoille County serves a fraction of the customers per mile that a Burlington-area route serves, but pays the same driver wage, fuel, and truck cost. Suppliers spread that route overhead across fewer gallons. Add winter road conditions on Class 4 roads, longer dispatch turnaround on emergency fills, and propane vapor pressure issues at -20F to -40F that require larger on-site reserves, and the rural premium compounds. If you live in a Northeast Kingdom or mountain community, ask suppliers explicitly about their service-area surcharge, minimum delivery in gallons, and whether automatic delivery (versus will-call) gets you a per-gallon discount for route predictability. The base $3.73/gal statewide average understates what many rural Vermont households actually pay.

Should I switch from propane to cordwood or a cold-climate heat pump in Vermont?

At Vermont's $3.73/gal propane rate, the per-BTU economics increasingly favour both cordwood and cold-climate heat pumps. Propane delivers about 91,500 BTU per gallon. Seasoned hardwood at $300-$400/cord (typical Vermont local rates) delivers roughly 20-24 million BTU per cord, equivalent to 220-260 gallons of propane on a heat-content basis, which would cost $896 at current VT rates. Cordwood plus a modern wood stove or furnace can cut heating bills 40-60% for households willing to handle wood. Cold-climate heat pumps (Mitsubishi Hyper-Heat, Fujitsu xLTH, etc.) operate efficiently down to -15F and deliver 200-300% of input electricity as heat. At Vermont electric rates of roughly $0.20/kWh and a typical seasonal COP of 2.5-3.0, heat pumps deliver heat at $0.067-$0.080 per kWh-equivalent, materially cheaper than $3.73/gal propane. Vermont's Affordable Heat Act (Act 18) signals further policy pressure toward heat pumps and biofuels, Public Utility Commission modeling projects an 8-9 cent per gallon propane price increase in year-one of the Clean Heat Standard. Most Vermont homes keep propane for cooking, hot water, and backup heat while adding heat pumps or wood for primary space heat. Pure conversion economics: heat pumps pay back in 6-10 years at current spreads; wood stoves in 2-4.

Are propane prices in Vermont different for second homes and ski-resort accounts?

Yes, materially so. Vermont's second-home and ski-resort propane market (Stowe, Killington, Stratton, Sugarbush, Okemo, Mount Snow, Jay Peak corridors) operates on a different supplier dynamic than year-round residential. Second-home accounts typically face higher per-gallon rates because of low fill frequency (the supplier amortises one or two fills per year against the same dispatch and route cost as a year-round account), minimum delivery surcharges that often apply when the tank is below a certain volume, and remote-property wellness checks during deep cold to prevent freeze damage. Many ski-area suppliers offer dedicated second-home programs with monitoring, flat-rate annual contracts, and guaranteed pre-Christmas/pre-MLK weekend fills, but these typically price at a premium versus the statewide $3.73/gal average. If you own a second home, ask specifically about: monitoring fees, minimum-delivery thresholds, freeze-protection delivery guarantees during peak weeks, and whether the supplier supports tank monitors (Otodata, Tank Utility) for remote level visibility.

What is the Affordable Heat Act and what will it do to Vermont propane prices?

Vermont's Affordable Heat Act (Act 18, signed May 24, 2023) directed the Public Utility Commission to design a Clean Heat Standard requiring fossil-fuel heating providers, propane dealers, heating-oil dealers, and natural-gas utilities, to gradually reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with their delivered fuels, in line with Vermont's Global Warming Solutions Act targets. Suppliers earn or buy clean-heat credits by helping customers electrify (heat pumps), weatherize, or switch to lower-carbon fuels (biofuels, renewable propane). The PUC submitted the proposed rule to the Legislature in January 2025; before the program can launch, the Legislature must vote again to authorize implementation. PUC modeling projects per-gallon propane price increases of 8-9 cents in year one (2026 if launched), rising to roughly 58 cents per gallon by 2035. At current $${VT.price.toFixed(2)}/gal pricing, that adds about 2-3% in year one and roughly 15% over a decade, meaningful but not catastrophic. The Act also funds expanded weatherization tax credits and heat pump rebates, which most VT propane households should evaluate regardless of whether they fully convert.