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

Maine residential propane is $3.82/gal in the 2026 EIA survey, 37% above the $2.78 national average and 7% above the $3.57 Northeast regional average. Full breakdown of Maine pricing, named in-state suppliers, fill-up costs, summer pre-buy savings, and how Maine compares to the rest of New England.

Last verified 27 April 2026 · Sourced from EIA Maine residential propane price survey

Maine Propane Price Snapshot (April 2026)

Maine residential price

$3.82/gal

2026 EIA weekly survey, statewide retail average

vs national average ($2.78)

+37%

Maine pays $1.04 more per gallon than the US average

vs Northeast regional avg ($3.57)

+7%

Maine is the third-most expensive state in the Northeast

Annual cost (typical 1,000 gal household)

$3,820

Versus $2,780 at the national average

Heating-season window

Nov - Apr

Six-month peak demand; coldest months Jan-Feb

Best time to fill

May - Aug

Off-season pre-buy saves $400-$700/year

Maine prices have tracked roughly 30 to 40 percent above the national average for the last five winters. The premium widens during January and February cold snaps and narrows in late spring as demand falls.

Why Maine Propane Prices Are High

Maine consistently ranks in the top five most expensive states for residential propane. The reasons are structural and unlikely to change without major federal infrastructure spending.

Distance from Gulf Coast production. About 90% of US propane is produced on the Gulf Coast or in the Midcontinent. Maine sits roughly 1,800 miles from those production hubs. Propane reaches New England by pipeline to Selkirk NY, then by rail and truck the rest of the way, with seaborne imports during winter. Every transfer adds cost.

Concentrated winter demand. About two-thirds of Maine households heat with petroleum products (heating oil or propane), the highest petroleum-heat share of any state. Propane is the second-most-common primary heating fuel at roughly 16% of homes (about 101,000 households), and that share has grown 66% since 2018. That demand concentration during a six-month heating season drives a steeper retail margin than in mild-winter states.

Limited regional storage. New England has very little propane storage capacity compared with the Midwest. When a January cold snap drains regional inventory, suppliers pay spot-market prices for emergency rail and truck deliveries from outside the region, and that pass-through is visible in your bill within days.

Transport and labour costs. Maine's rural geography means longer delivery routes per customer than in dense suburban markets. Lower customer density per mile pushes the delivery component of the retail price higher, on top of higher New England wage rates.

Maine Propane Suppliers (Verified, April 2026)

These are the major residential propane suppliers serving Maine. Coverage areas overlap; in most ZIP codes you will have a choice between a regional player like Dead River and one or two of the nationals or local independents.

Dead River Company

South Portland, ME

Maine-headquartered since 1909. The 13th largest propane company in the US with 50+ local offices across ME, NH, VT, and western MA. Propane plus heating oil, kerosene, equipment install and 24/7 emergency service.

Downeast Energy

Brunswick, ME (subsidiary of Superior Plus Propane)

One of Maine's longest-running fuel companies. Serves all of Maine and southern New Hampshire with propane, heating oil, and energy-efficient equipment.

AmeriGas

King of Prussia, PA (national)

Largest US propane provider. Maine offices include South Portland, Portland, Bangor, Lewiston, and York. National scale gives access to budget plans and tank exchange.

Suburban Propane

Whippany, NJ (national)

700+ locations across 42 states. Portland, ME office serves the southern coast. Residential delivery, tank refills, and equipment service.

Irving Energy

Saint John, NB / Portsmouth, NH

Family-owned regional energy company serving northern New England since 1924. Strong coverage in central and northern Maine. Heating oil, propane, kerosene, and gasoline.

Maritime Energy

Rockland, ME

Family-owned since 1939. Serves Knox, Lincoln, Waldo, Hancock, and Kennebec counties (midcoast Maine) from offices in Rockland, Belfast, Montville, South China, and Nobleboro.

C.N. Brown Energy

South Paris, ME

Family-owned since 1948. Operates 125+ locations across Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Residential propane and heating oil delivery, plus equipment service.

Fabian Oil

Central Maine

Local family-owned heating fuel company serving central Maine for 25+ years. Heating oil, propane, kerosene delivery and full-service equipment department.

Smaller regional independents (Daigle Oil in Aroostook County, plus dozens of single-county family operators) are not listed here but are licensed special-fuel suppliers with the State of Maine. Always pull two or three written quotes before signing a contract; per-gallon spreads of 30 to 50 cents within the same town are common.

Maine Propane Fill-Up Cost by Tank Size

Propane tanks are filled to 80% capacity (the "80% rule") to allow for thermal expansion. Costs below use Maine's $3.82/gal residential rate and the usable gallon count for each tank size.

Tank size	Usable gallons (80%)	Maine fill cost ($3.82/gal)	National avg cost ($2.78/gal)	Maine premium
100 gal (portable)	80	$305.60	$222.40	+$83
250 gal (small home)	200	$764.00	$556.00	+$208
500 gal (standard residential)	400	$1,528.00	$1,112.00	+$416
1,000 gal (large home / cold-climate)	800	$3,056.00	$2,224.00	+$832

A typical Maine household heating a 2,000 sqft home burns 800 to 1,200 gallons per year, which translates to two to three full fills of a 500-gallon tank. Annual propane spend ranges from $3,056 (low usage) to $4,584 (high usage) at the current state-average rate.

Maine Heating Season, Pre-Buy Strategy & LIHEAP

Maine's heating season runs roughly six months, from early November through late April, with the coldest stretch and highest demand falling in January and February. Propane retail prices follow that demand curve almost lockstep, peaking in late winter and bottoming in late spring.

Summer pre-buy savings. A typical Maine household burning 1,000 gallons per year saves $400 to $700 by locking a pre-buy contract in May through August versus paying spot rates during heating season. Cap-price contracts (which set a ceiling but let you benefit if the market falls) are a useful middle ground if you do not want to commit cash up front.

LIHEAP / HEAP eligibility. Maine's Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) is the state's implementation of federal LIHEAP, administered by MaineHousing through Community Action Agencies. The federal program totals about $855M nationally per year. Income-qualified households (generally under 60% of state median income) can receive a benefit paid directly to their propane supplier toward winter fuel costs, typically in the $600 to $1,200 range. Apply at your local Community Action Agency between September and April.

Practical sequence for a Maine propane household: apply for HEAP in September if you may qualify, sign a pre-buy or cap-price contract in June or July, and top up your tank to 80% by mid-October. That combination protects you from both winter spot-market spikes and supplier minimum-delivery surcharges.

Maine vs Other Northeast States (April 2026)

State	Price/gal	vs national avg ($2.78)	500-gal fill cost
Vermont	$3.95	+42%	$1,580
Massachusetts	$3.89	+40%	$1,556
Maine (this page)	$3.82	+37%	$1,528
Connecticut	$3.78	+36%	$1,512
New Hampshire	$3.72	+34%	$1,488
Rhode Island	$3.68	+32%	$1,472
New York	$3.58	+29%	$1,432
New Jersey	$3.45	+24%	$1,380
Pennsylvania	$3.28	+18%	$1,312
Maryland	$3.05	+10%	$1,220
Delaware	$3.12	+12%	$1,248

Northeast regional average: $3.57/gal. Maine sits $0.25 above the regional average and is the third-most expensive state in the region, behind Vermont and Massachusetts. See full state-by-state pricing for all 50 states.

Maine Propane Price FAQ

Who has the cheapest propane in Maine?

Pricing is competitive across Maine's main residential suppliers and the cheapest provider depends on your county, contract length, and whether you pre-buy or pay will-call. Dead River Company, Downeast Energy (Superior Plus), Irving Energy, and Maritime Energy all publish budget plans and pre-buy programs that can shave $0.20 to $0.50 per gallon off the spot rate. Independent locals such as Fabian Oil, C.N. Brown Energy, and Daigle Oil Company often beat the nationals on will-call pricing in central and northern Maine. Always get two written quotes before committing because the per-gallon spread between suppliers in the same town routinely exceeds 40 cents.

Why is propane so expensive in Maine?

Maine's $3.82/gal price is 37% above the $2.78 national average for three connected reasons. First, Maine is at the far end of the propane supply chain: most US propane is produced on the Gulf Coast and pipelined or railed thousands of miles, adding transport cost. Second, Maine is the most petroleum-dependent heating state in the country: about two-thirds of households burn heating oil or propane, which concentrates winter demand and lets retailers hold higher margins. Third, regional storage capacity in northern New England is limited, so suppliers pay a premium during cold snaps when imports are tight. The price gap to the national average widens every winter and narrows in summer.

Does LIHEAP help pay for propane in Maine?

Yes. The federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is administered in Maine as the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) through MaineHousing and the state's Community Action Agencies. HEAP can pay a benefit directly to your propane supplier toward winter fuel costs, with average benefits typically in the $600 to $1,200 range depending on income, household size, and fuel costs. The federal LIHEAP block grant funds about $855M nationally each year. Eligibility is based on household income (generally under 60% of state median income). Apply through your local Community Action Agency between September and April; funds are limited and benefits are first-come, first-served once heating season opens.

Is summer pre-buy worth it for Maine propane?

Usually yes. Maine propane prices follow a pronounced seasonal cycle: prices typically bottom in May through August and peak in January through February. A pre-buy or summer-fill contract locks in the off-season rate for delivery during winter. For a typical Maine household burning 1,000 gallons per year, pre-buying in June at roughly $3.20-$3.40/gal versus paying $3.82-$4.20/gal in midwinter saves $400 to $700 annually. The risks: if spot prices fall below your locked rate (rare in Maine winters) you overpay, and most pre-buys require either upfront cash or a credit check. Cap-price contracts are a middle option, capping your maximum but letting you benefit if the market falls.

Should I switch from heating oil to propane in Maine?

Not automatically. Heating oil is still the dominant heating fuel in Maine (about 48% of homes versus 16% on propane) and per-BTU it is often cheaper than propane in this state. At Maine's 2026 prices, heating oil at roughly $4.20/gal delivers about 138,500 BTU per gallon, while propane at $3.82/gal delivers 91,500 BTU per gallon, so propane runs roughly 35-45% more expensive per BTU delivered. Propane wins on appliance efficiency (95% high-efficiency furnaces are common, versus 85% for oil), cleaner burn, no sulfur smell, and broader appliance compatibility (cooking, water heating, generators, fireplaces). The fuel-cost gap can close if you replace an old oil furnace with a high-efficiency propane unit, but run the numbers with current local quotes before switching.

When is the best time to fill a propane tank in Maine?

Late spring through midsummer (May to August). Prices in Maine bottom out after heating season ends and before the next-winter pre-buy window opens. By September most suppliers have raised their cap-price and will-call rates ahead of October deliveries. The worst months to fill are December through February, when cold-snap demand and constrained regional storage push spot prices to their annual peak. If your tank is below 30% in autumn, fill it; do not wait for January hoping prices will fall. For owned tanks, top up to 80% in June or July and you will rarely need a winter emergency fill.