An antique hourglass of glowing amber oil beside stacked copper coins on a frosted Vermont farmhouse windowsill.

Quick Answer

Vermont residential heating oil averaged $6.10 a gallon the week of October 19, 2026, up $2.69, or 79%, from a year earlier, per the U.S. Energy Information Administration. At the 518 gallons the average Vermont oil-heated home uses in a year, that is about $3,160 for the season, roughly $1,390 more than at last year's price. Propane is up about 9%.

Vermont Heating Oil Prices This Week

This winter's biggest bill may not be the mortgage.

Vermont residential heating oil averaged $6.10 a gallon the week of October 19, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's weekly survey. A year earlier it was $3.41. That is a 79% jump. The New England average is about the same, at $6.11.

Propane tells a different story. Vermont's average was $3.88 a gallon, up only 9% from a year ago.

The Math for an Oil-Heated Home

EIA's most recent household energy survey found that Vermont homes heating with oil or kerosene use about 518 gallons a year. At this week's price, that is about $3,160 for the season. At last year's price, it was about $1,770. The difference is roughly $1,390, or $116 a month.

Prices move every week, so treat that as today's snapshot, not a forecast. EIA's own winter outlook, published October 7, expects heating oil to average 34% more than last winter, with a warmer forecast trimming household spending growth to about 21%. Analysts point to tight supply: EIA expects distillate inventories to run about 11% below their five-year average this quarter.

Montpelier's Energy Action Network ties the price jump to supply uncertainty from the war involving Iran, as reported by The Bridge.

Vermont Is Responding

On Friday, October 23, Vermont's Emergency Board unanimously approved $15.3 million to expand seasonal fuel assistance for oil and kerosene households and double the crisis fuel program, adding room for about 2,400 more households, VTDigger reported. In Washington County, Capstone Community Action handles applications: 802-479-1053.

Your Heating System Is Now Part of Your Price

Buyers do not just budget for a mortgage. They budget for the whole monthly cost of living in the house. An extra $116 a month for heat is about what a buyer would pay on another $17,000 of mortgage at 7.32%. Expect buyers this winter to ask for fuel bills before they make an offer, and to weigh a heat pump, a newer boiler or a tight envelope as real money.

What to Do This Week

If you heat with oil, call your dealer and ask about price plans, then compare them with the cash price. Book a tune-up before the cold sets in. Efficiency Vermont offers rebates of up to $100 for do-it-yourself weatherization and 0% loans for larger projects through EastRise Credit Union. Matt Smith of Efficiency Vermont told The Bridge that weatherizing his own 1885 home cut his heating bill by almost 40% in one winter.

If you are selling, gather 12 months of fuel delivery records and any receipts for heat pumps, insulation or a new system. A clear heating file answers the buyer's first question before it is asked.

If you are buying, ask for the seller's fuel history and have the heating system inspected. Then add the heat to your monthly budget, not just the payment.

Selling this winter? Read how I prepare a Vermont home for sale, or call me at 802-233-4107 and we will build the heating file together.

Read how I prepare a Vermont home for sale or call Tony at 802-233-4107.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is heating oil in Vermont right now?

Vermont residential heating oil averaged $6.10 a gallon the week of October 19, 2026, up from $3.41 a year earlier, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

How much more will it cost to heat a Vermont home with oil this winter?

The average Vermont home heating with oil or kerosene uses about 518 gallons a year. At $6.10 a gallon that is about $3,160, roughly $1,390 more than at last year's price. Actual costs depend on the weather and on prices through the winter.

Is there help paying for heating oil in Vermont this winter?

Yes. On October 23, 2026, Vermont's Emergency Board approved $15.3 million to expand seasonal and crisis fuel assistance. In Washington County, call Capstone Community Action at 802-479-1053; elsewhere, call Vermont 2-1-1.

Do heating costs affect a Vermont home's value?

They affect what buyers can afford. An extra $116 a month for heat is about the payment on $17,000 of mortgage at 7.32%, so efficient heating and good records help a home compete.

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Sources

Tony Walton, Principal Broker, New England Landmark Realty, Waterbury Center, Vermont. 802-233-4107.