EIA residential propane, Indiana
Indiana propane prices: $2.63 a gallon
Latest EIA residential survey, week ending 30 March 2026, the final release of the 2025-26 heating season. Weekly updates resume in October; the wholesale benchmark below is live.
By the map Indiana should price like Iowa: a PADD 2 state near Midwest storage with the largest refinery in the region on its lakeshore. It does not, because gas mains cover the metros, heavy industry competes for the same molecules, and the residential propane base is rural and scattered.
Latest EIA residential propane price
Source: EIA State Heating Oil and Propane Program, Indiana residential series. Refreshed automatically every Tuesday in season; wholesale daily.
Indiana at a glance
Latest survey$2.63/gal
vs week before-5.3c
vs 4 weeks before-6.6c
vs same week last year+5%
vs US ($2.67)1% below
Among 38 surveyed states17th cheapest
500-gal fill (400 usable)$1054
Week by week, 2025-26 season
Indiana against the US average
Every point is an EIA survey week. This season Indiana ran from a low of $2.18 (6 Oct) to a high of $2.79 (16 Feb), with the US average finishing at $2.67. Against the same week a year earlier it is +5%.
$2.18
Season low
6 October 2025
$2.79
Season high
16 February 2026
$2.51
Same week last year
31 March 2025, now +5%
$0.85
Wholesale today
Mont Belvieu spot, 15 September 2026, +17c vs a month ago
Source: EIA State Heating Oil and Propane Program, residential propane, full-service delivery, published October to March. Wholesale is the Mont Belvieu, TX spot price; retail usually follows it by four to eight weeks, which makes it the best off-season signal of where Indiana prices are heading.
What a fill costs in Indiana at $2.63
Tanks fill to 80% of their stated size to leave room for expansion, so a 500-gallon tank takes about 400 gallons. The right-hand column is the difference against the same fill at the US average.
| Tank | Usable gallons | Fill at $2.63 | vs US ($2.67) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 gal | 80 gal | $211 | -$3 |
| 250 gal | 200 gal | $527 | -$8 |
| 500 gal | 400 gal | $1054 | -$16 |
| 1000 gal | 800 gal | $2107 | -$32 |
A Indiana home heating on propane through a typical winter burns 1,000 to 1,500 gallons, so fuel alone runs about $2634 to $3951 at this price, before tank rent or a service plan. The average is a benchmark, not a quote: enter your ZIP to ask up to three local dealers what they would charge you.
Indiana against its Midwest neighbours
The cheapest Midwest cluster (Iowa, Nebraska, the Dakotas, Kansas) hugs the central-plains storage-and-fractionator network where rural propane is the default fuel. Indiana sits higher, alongside Ohio and Michigan, carrying longer residential last-mile routes through more natural-gas-served terrain.
| State | Price/gal | 500-gal fill | vs US ($2.67) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | $1.64 | $657 | -39% |
| Iowa | $1.66 | $664 | -38% |
| North Dakota | $1.70 | $680 | -36% |
| South Dakota | $1.84 | $736 | -31% |
| Kansas | $1.98 | $791 | -26% |
| Illinois | $2.03 | $810 | -24% |
| Minnesota | $2.06 | $822 | -23% |
| Wisconsin | $2.07 | $826 | -23% |
| Missouri | $2.21 | $884 | -17% |
| Michigan | $2.37 | $948 | -11% |
| Indiana | $2.63 | $1054 | -1% |
| Ohio | $2.69 | $1078 | +1% |
| Midwest average | $2.07 | $828 | -23% |
States marked regional est. are not surveyed individually by EIA and carry their PADD regional figure. Full table on prices by state.
Why Indiana runs 1% under the national average
Indiana runs in the Ohio and Michigan band rather than the true cheap-Midwest floor. The reasons are structural rather than seasonal.
Natural-gas metros shrink the propane base.
Citizens Energy serves Indianapolis and Marion County, and NIPSCO covers much of northern Indiana, so residential propane concentrates in rural and exurban counties where gas mains do not reach (Boone, Hendricks, Hancock, Morgan, Brown, and the rural edges of Lake, Porter and LaPorte). A smaller, dispersed customer base means fewer route economies per supplier and higher per-gallon overhead than in Iowa or Nebraska, where rural propane is the default.
Industrial demand competes for the same supply.
Northwest Indiana's steel mills, the Elkhart RV corridor, and statewide commercial accounts all draw on regional propane storage. In a tight winter, industrial customers on priority contracts get filled first; will-call residential accounts feel the squeeze through delivery delays and spot premia.
The BP Whiting supply advantage is smaller than it looks.
The BP Whiting refinery on Lake Michigan is the largest in the Midwest and produces NGL byproducts including propane, which on paper should help Indiana pricing. In practice that output sells into regional spot markets and pipeline distribution rather than pre-allocating to Indiana retailers, so proximity to the refinery does not translate into a durable in-state discount.
Grain-drying is the autumn wildcard.
Indiana is a top-five US corn and soybean state, and grain-drying propane demand spikes hard in a wet October and November, drawing down regional storage right before the residential heating season opens. That anchors supplier route economics in farm counties year-round, but in a wet harvest it can lift wholesale spot rates statewide going into December.
Four moves that decide an Indiana propane bill
A good dealer list is step one. The gap between a careless account and a well-run one in Indiana is usually a few hundred dollars a winter, and this is where that money is won.
01
Ask for the DOR licence
A company selling propane in Indiana must hold a Department of Revenue Propane Dealer's License (Form PDL-1). Indiana publishes no consumer lookup, so ask any prospective supplier for its licence number directly, and cross-check membership in the IPGA member directory. If a company can show neither, walk away.
02
Lock summer, beat the corn-drying draw
Indiana wholesale bottoms in summer, and most suppliers run pre-buy enrollment from May through August. Because grain-drying can pull down storage in a wet October, top up early rather than gamble on a December refill. Ask for a cap-price contract, which keeps the saving if wholesale falls, over a strict pre-buy that locks the price either way, and ask whether unused gallons roll forward.
03
Quote across the supplier tiers
Indiana has national carriers (AmeriGas, Ferrellgas, Suburban), regional co-ops such as Ceres Solutions and Keystone, and county family operators. Spreads widen where residential routes run thin, so pull one written quote from each tier. If you own your tank, say so up front to remove the switching penalty that leased-tank customers face.
04
Check EAP eligibility early
The IHCDA Energy Assistance Program pays a one-time heating benefit toward propane for households at or below 60% of Indiana State Median Income ($33,556 a year for a single person). Crisis help applies when a tank is at or below 25% or within 10 days of running out. Apply at ihcda.rhsconnect.com/portal; the 2026-2027 cycle reopens in fall 2026.
Rated by customers
Indiana propane dealers worth calling first
A short, hand-checked list with strong public review scores, spread across the state. Ratings were read from the platforms named in August 2026 and move over time; a high score is where to start, not a guarantee. Get three written quotes whoever you call.
Central / East-Central Indiana
Donahue Gas
Anderson, Indiana
4.911 reviews, Chamber of Commerce
Third-generation family operator running since 1938, serving the Indianapolis orbit and Madison County with keep-full residential delivery.
See the reviews ›Northeast Indiana / Elkhart RV corridor
Franger Gas Company
Elkhart, Indiana
4.246 reviews, Chamber of Commerce
Residential, commercial and wholesale supplier operating in the Elkhart-Goshen area for more than 75 years; BBB-accredited with an A+ rating.
See the reviews ›Southwest Indiana / Evansville Tri-State
Lin-Gas
Evansville, Indiana
3.73 reviews, Chamber of Commerce
Regional retail-and-installation supplier covering the Evansville Tri-State across Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. Small public review sample, so weigh it alongside your own quotes.
See the reviews ›Northern Indiana / Amish country
Honeyville Propane
Topeka, Indiana
3.310 reviews, Birdeye
Local family supplier serving LaGrange and Elkhart county communities since 1996. Reviews are mixed and note higher pricing offset by prompt delivery, shown here honestly.
See the reviews ›Verified on the state registry
8 of the 25 Indiana dealers on the DOR register
| Dealer | City | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Americas Autogas Systems LLC | Franklin | listing |
| Bahr Fossils LLC | Anderson | listing |
| Ceres Solutions Cooperative | Crawfordsville | listing |
| Derby City Rv LLC (tom Stinnett) | Clarksville | listing |
| Donahue Gas Inc. | Anderson | listing |
| Fastop Inc. | Jasper | listing |
| Franger Gas Company Inc. | Elkhart | listing |
| Gaile's Gas & Electric Inc. | Morgantown | listing |
Source: Indiana Department of Revenue Propane Dealer's License listing, captured 19 June 2026. A registry listing is a licence record, not an endorsement.
Indiana propane, the questions people ask
Where do the dealers on this page come from?
The registry list is drawn from the Indiana Department of Revenue Propane Dealer's License listing, the state's public record of businesses registered to sell propane in Indiana (Form PDL-1, State Form 55549), captured on 19 June 2026. We show the holders with an Indiana mailing address, dropping one entry marked ceased. It is a licence-registration snapshot rather than an endorsement, and the licence covers home-delivery retailers, farm co-ops, cylinder-exchange convenience stores, RV dealers and autogas providers alike, so the list is broad. The full DOR record also licenses national carriers (Ferrellgas, Suburban Propane, and travel-stop chains) registered from out-of-state headquarters; we leave those out because their address is not in Indiana. Confirm current standing by asking any supplier for its Propane Dealer's License number and get three written quotes before you sign.
How do I check that an Indiana propane dealer is licensed?
Indiana propane retailers sit under two layers of oversight. First, the Indiana Department of Revenue issues the Propane Dealer's License (Form PDL-1, State Form 55549) that a company must hold to sell propane in-state; the forms live at in.gov/dor/tax-forms/other-forms/fuel-tax-forms and questions go to [email protected]. Indiana does not publish a consumer-facing "is this dealer licensed" lookup for propane, so the practical check is to ask a prospective supplier for its Propane Dealer's License number directly. Second, propane storage, container siting and installation work fall under the Indiana Fire Code (675 IAC Article 22, aligned with NFPA 58), enforced by the Office of the State Fire Marshal within the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. The Indiana Propane Gas Association (IPGA) at indianapropane.com publishes a member directory that is a useful cross-check of active in-state retailers. If a company is neither in the IPGA directory nor able to show a current DOR licence, walk away.
Am I eligible for Indiana's Energy Assistance Program (EAP)?
Indiana's LIHEAP-funded fuel-assistance scheme is the Energy Assistance Program (EAP), administered by the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) and delivered through Local Service Providers, most of which are county Community Action Agencies. Households at or below 60% of Indiana State Median Income qualify; income is assessed on the most recent three months, and the published limit for a single-person household is $2,796 for one month, $8,389 for three months, and $33,556 across twelve months. Propane-heated households are eligible for a one-time annual benefit, and where a heating crisis exists (a disconnect notice, a propane tank at or below 25%, or within 10 days of running out of bulk deliverable fuel) the Local Service Provider must begin a mitigating action within 48 hours. The 2025-2026 cycle ran from 1 October 2025 and closed 20 April 2026; the 2026-2027 cycle reopens in fall 2026. Apply through the EAP portal at ihcda.rhsconnect.com/portal or contact [email protected]. Six northeastern counties (Adams, Blackford, Huntington, Jay, Randolph, Wells) use a separate system at eap.mylitt.com.
Why is propane in Indiana priced near the national average instead of the cheap-Midwest level?
Indiana sits in PADD 2 close to Midwest supply, yet residential propane runs $2.63 a gallon, well above true cheap-Midwest neighbours like Iowa, Nebraska and the Dakotas and nearer the Ohio and Michigan band. Three structural drivers do most of the work. First, Indianapolis and most large Indiana metros have natural-gas service through Citizens Energy and NIPSCO, which keeps the residential propane base small, scattered and rural, so per-gallon route overhead is higher than in states where rural propane is the default heating fuel. Second, Northwest Indiana's heavy industrial corridor (steel mills, the BP Whiting refinery, Gary and Hammond manufacturing) pulls regional supply toward industrial and commercial accounts, which tightens residential availability in the coldest months. Third, the BP Whiting refinery's NGL byproducts feed regional supply but are sold into spot markets rather than pre-allocated to in-state retailers, so the local supply advantage is smaller than a map suggests.
How does corn-drying season affect Indiana propane prices?
Indiana is a top-five US corn state and a top-five soybean state, and grain-drying propane demand is a real factor in the autumn supply curve. Wet harvests (typically late September through November) push agricultural propane consumption hard for two to six weeks, drawing down regional storage right before the residential heating season opens. In a wet-harvest year, Indiana wholesale spot prices can run noticeably above a dry-harvest year going into December. The practical takeaway for a residential household: do not let your tank fall below 30% in late September. If autumn forecasts are wet, top up in August or early September at the summer rate rather than risk a December refill during a corn-drying draw. Purdue Extension grain-condition and NOAA outlook reports are useful leading indicators for the autumn propane curve.
Does Elkhart's RV manufacturing industry affect propane availability?
Elkhart County builds a large share of the US recreational-vehicle fleet, and the propane appliances installed in those RVs (cooktops, water heaters, furnaces, absorption refrigerators) plus test-fill propane used during plant commissioning create steady year-round commercial propane demand in northern Indiana. This rarely moves residential per-gallon pricing directly, but it does mean the Elkhart-Goshen-South Bend corridor carries unusually dense propane infrastructure: cylinder exchange, bulk storage and licensed dealers per capita run above Indiana's rural-county average. A residential customer in St. Joseph, Elkhart, LaGrange or Kosciusko county therefore has more supplier choice and tighter quote spreads than someone in a thinner propane market. Use that leverage when you shop quotes.
Why does Northwest Indiana propane sometimes cost more than rural central Indiana?
Counterintuitive but real. Northwest Indiana (Lake, Porter, LaPorte counties) carries the heaviest industrial propane demand in the state (steel, refining, manufacturing), and that industrial pull on regional storage tightens residential availability in cold months, especially in the Gary-Hammond-Valparaiso corridor where many homes are on natural gas anyway and propane retailers run thin residential routes. Rural central Indiana (Boone, Hendricks, Hancock, Shelby counties) has more residential propane density per supplier route and several regional family operators competing on price. The net effect is that a propane-heated home in suburban Crown Point can pay more per gallon than a comparable home in rural Boone or Hancock county. Always quote at least one Indianapolis-orbit regional operator alongside any Northwest Indiana local supplier before signing.
Keep reading
All Indiana dealers
The complete verified directory of 25 Indiana propane dealers, by city and ZIP.
Dealers near you
Enter a ZIP to see the closest dealers and ask up to three for a price.
Propane prices today
The daily wholesale benchmark and the live state summer surveys.
Prices by state
All 50 states side by side, with regional context.
What a fill costs
Tank sizes, the 80% rule and the national refill guide.
How to pay less
Pre-buy timing, switching, owned versus leased tanks.
Propane vs natural gas
Per-BTU economics for Indiana homes inside and outside the gas-main grid.