Iowa heating oil and propane prices per gallon this week
Iowa propane averaged $1.704 a gallon in the EIA survey of October 19, 2026; heating oil $5.817.
Heating oil, Iowa, week of October 19, 2026
$5.817/gal
| 150 gallons at this price | $873 |
| Change from the week before | +$0.143 |
| Same week a year ago | $3.019 (+92.7 %) |
| Average of last winter (2025-26, November to March) | $3.239 |
| Wholesale price the same week | $5.237 (dealer spread $0.580) |
| U.S. average | $6.190 |
EIA weekly survey of October 19, 2026, excluding taxes. Next release October 28, 2026.
Compiled by Radif Partners · Where the prices come from · EIA survey of , published October 21, 2026, excluding taxes
Propane heats a larger share of homes in Iowa than in most states: it ranks 7th of the 38 surveyed states on that measure. The Census Bureau's 2024 survey counts 165,804 Iowa homes heated mainly with bottled, tank or LP gas, 12.3 % of occupied homes, against only 4,069 on fuel oil or kerosene. In the EIA's weekly survey of October 19, 2026, Iowa propane averaged $1.704 a gallon, 37th of 38 surveyed states counting from the dearest, and $0.985 below the national average. An Iowa winter is long: 5,553 heating degree days from November to March in a normal year. The EIA's average Midwest propane home, scaled to that weather, would burn about 742 gallons over the season, which is $1,264 at this week's Iowa average. Prices exclude taxes and fees, and each dealer sets its own.
Propane winters in Iowa
Iowa's propane average from November to March was lowest in 2015-16, at $1.004 a gallon, and highest in 2013-14, at $2.262. Last winter it averaged $1.604, between a low week of $1.519 and a high of $1.660. The highest single week since the series began is $4.709, on January 27, 2014. Since 2013-14, the winter average ended above the mid-October price in 10 of 13 seasons, with a median change of 5.6 %.
A fixed propane price in Iowa
Locking 750 gallons of propane at $1.704
Saves $0
| Break-even winter price | $1.704 |
| Past winters where the November-March average beat the mid-October price | 10 of 13 |
| Median change, mid-October to winter average | +5.6 % |
| Past winters, replayed from today's price, that end above $1.704 | 10 of 13 |
From wholesale to the farm and the house
The EIA's wholesale propane price for Iowa this week is $1.190, so $0.514 a gallon of the residential price is delivery, storage, the tank and the dealer's margin. On farms propane also dries crops and heats livestock buildings and greenhouses (EIA), so in a farm state the demand for propane is not only residential.
A 500-gallon tank filled from 30 % to 80 % takes 250 gallons, $426 at this week's average; a 1,000-gallon tank from the same reading takes 500 gallons, $852. The propane tank calculator reads any gauge.
The cold months
NOAA's normals give Iowa 1,288 heating degree days in December, 1,400 in January and 1,135 in February. Those three months alone account for 69 % of the November to March total, so a tank that starts the winter full may need a second fill by February. The winter budget spreads the cost month by month.
Heating oil in Iowa
The EIA also surveys Iowa heating oil, $5.817 a gallon this week, although few homes still use it. Per million Btu at ENERGY STAR efficiencies, Iowa propane heat costs $21 this week and oil heat $48; the comparison page adds electricity. The federal LIHEAP ceiling for four people in Iowa is $73,361 a year.
What a delivery costs in Iowa at this week's average
| Fuel | Price a gallon | Order | Order | Order | Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heating oil | $5.817 | 100 gal: $582 | 150 gal: $873 | 200 gal: $1,163 | 275 gal: $1,600 |
| Propane | $1.704 | 100 gal: $170 | 250 gal: $426 | 400 gal: $682 | 800 gal: $1,363 |
Heating oil in Iowa, winter by winter
| Winter | Mid-October | November to March average | Season high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | $5.674 | in progress | $5.817 (October 19, 2026) |
| 2025-26 | $3.063 | $3.239 | $4.310 (March 23, 2026) |
| 2024-25 | $3.012 | $2.900 | $3.020 (February 17, 2025) |
| 2023-24 | $3.788 | $3.235 | $4.146 (October 23, 2023) |
| 2022-23 | $4.579 | $3.770 | $4.790 (October 24, 2022) |
| 2021-22 | $3.003 | $3.256 | $4.389 (March 28, 2022) |
| 2020-21 | $1.643 | $2.097 | $2.633 (March 8, 2021) |
| 2019-20 | $2.359 | $2.192 | $2.410 (November 25, 2019) |
| 2018-19 | $2.846 | $2.370 | $2.846 (October 15, 2018) |
| 2017-18 | $2.258 | $2.412 | $2.529 (January 29, 2018) |
| 2016-17 | $2.043 | $1.976 | $2.078 (January 2, 2017) |
| 2015-16 | $2.096 | $1.656 | $2.096 (October 12, 2015) |
| 2014-15 | $3.098 | $2.499 | $3.553 (November 10, 2014) |
| 2013-14 | $3.439 | $3.440 | $3.527 (March 3, 2014) |
Propane in Iowa, winter by winter
| Winter | Mid-October | November to March average | Season high |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | $1.667 | in progress | $1.704 (October 19, 2026) |
| 2025-26 | $1.519 | $1.604 | $1.660 (March 30, 2026) |
| 2024-25 | $1.526 | $1.632 | $1.719 (January 27, 2025) |
| 2023-24 | $1.562 | $1.590 | $1.617 (February 19, 2024) |
| 2022-23 | $1.934 | $1.940 | $1.953 (December 5, 2022) |
| 2021-22 | $2.033 | $1.993 | $2.186 (March 14, 2022) |
| 2020-21 | $1.103 | $1.423 | $2.067 (February 22, 2021) |
| 2019-20 | $1.157 | $1.297 | $1.459 (November 25, 2019) |
| 2018-19 | $1.350 | $1.326 | $1.360 (October 29, 2018) |
| 2017-18 | $1.336 | $1.457 | $1.513 (January 22, 2018) |
| 2016-17 | $1.018 | $1.161 | $1.280 (February 6, 2017) |
| 2015-16 | $0.989 | $1.004 | $1.015 (January 4, 2016) |
| 2014-15 | $1.621 | $1.551 | $1.621 (October 13, 2014) |
| 2013-14 | $1.525 | $2.262 | $4.709 (January 27, 2014) |