# Heating oil prices are up 59% from last winter. The spike is ‘crushing folks,’ Maine nonprofit says

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/heating-oil-prices-are-up-59-from-last-winter-the-spike-is-crushing-folks-maine-nonprofit-says/
- Published: 2026-11-14T14:30:01+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-14T23:12:10+00:00
- Original publisher: CNBC (publisher lean: Centre)
- Original article: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/11/14/heating-oil-price-spike-household-budgets.html
- Topics: Business, Economy

## Key points

- US heating oil averages $5.91 a gallon, 59% higher than last year.
- Maine prices are up 75%, with about half of homes using heating oil.
- A nonprofit leader warns some households face empty tanks and unsafe heating.

## Summary

Heating oil prices have risen sharply ahead of winter, putting extra pressure on households that rely on the fuel and have little room in their budgets. A Maine nonprofit leader says the increase is already crushing residents, with some facing empty tanks or turning to unsafe ways to heat their homes.

The US average reached about $5.91 a gallon on 9 November, up $2.19, or 59%, from a year earlier, according to the Energy Information Administration. In Maine, the average was about $5.83 a gallon, an increase of $2.49, or 75%; around half of the state’s homes use heating oil. Jason Parent of AVEC Community Action also warned that some secondary heating equipment, including wood and pellet stoves, may no longer be operating safely.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.