EIA residential propane, Wisconsin
Wisconsin propane prices: $1.94 a gallon
EIA residential survey for the week ending 19 October 2026. Updated every Wednesday through March.
One of the longest heating seasons in the lower 48, priced near the cheap end of the Midwest: Conway storage a pipeline away, dairy-belt delivery routes that spread the cost, and a supply discipline the state learned the hard way in 2014.
Homeowners across the Midwest tell us they pay $2.76 a gallon, typically $1.85 to $3.29, reported in the last 90 days. That is the regional figure; Wisconsin's own takes its place here as Wisconsin readers report what they pay.
What do you pay in Wisconsin?
Compare it with your neighbours in 30 seconds.
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Used only for your comparison and the anonymous local figure. Never sent to a propane company.
Latest EIA residential propane price
Source: EIA State Heating Oil and Propane Program, Wisconsin residential series. Refreshed automatically every Wednesday in season; wholesale daily.
Wisconsin at a glance
This week$1.94/gal
vs week before+5.1c
vs 4 weeks before-12.9c
vs same week last year+12%
vs US ($2.69)28% below
Among 38 surveyed states5th cheapest
500-gal fill (400 usable)$776
Week by week, 2026-27 season
Wisconsin against the US average
Every point is an EIA survey week. This season Wisconsin ran from a low of $1.82 (5 Oct) to a high of $1.94 (19 Oct), with the US average finishing at $2.69. Against the same week a year earlier it is +12%.
$1.82
Season low
5 October 2026
$1.94
Season high
19 October 2026
$1.73
Same week last year
20 October 2025, now +12%
$1.13
Wholesale today
Mont Belvieu spot, 20 October 2026, +28c 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 Wisconsin prices are heading.
What a fill costs in Wisconsin at $1.94
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 $1.94 | vs US ($2.69) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 gal | 80 gal | $155 | -$60 |
| 250 gal | 200 gal | $388 | -$150 |
| 500 gal | 400 gal | $776 | -$300 |
| 1000 gal | 800 gal | $1552 | -$599 |
For a winter's fuel, multiply the gallons on last winter's delivery tickets by the price: every 100 gallons costs about $194 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.
Wisconsin against its Midwest neighbours
The cheapest Midwest cluster (Iowa, Nebraska, the Dakotas, Kansas) hugs the Conway storage hub and the central-plains fractionators. Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois sit in the next tier. Indiana, Ohio and Michigan run a little higher, further from Conway and with longer last miles through more populated ground.
| State | Price/gal | 500-gal fill | vs US ($2.69) |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | $1.65 | $660 | -39% |
| Iowa | $1.70 | $682 | -37% |
| Nebraska | $1.78 | $713 | -34% |
| South Dakota | $1.87 | $748 | -30% |
| Wisconsin | $1.94 | $776 | -28% |
| Illinois | $1.94 | $777 | -28% |
| Minnesota | $2.01 | $806 | -25% |
| Kansas | $2.07 | $830 | -23% |
| Missouri | $2.18 | $872 | -19% |
| Michigan | $2.43 | $974 | -9% |
| Indiana | $2.56 | $1024 | -5% |
| Ohio | $2.65 | $1059 | -2% |
| 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 Wisconsin runs 28% under the national average
The reasons are structural, not seasonal: where the gas is stored, how dense the delivery routes are, and what suppliers changed after the winter that ran rural tanks empty.
PADD 2 storage next door.
Wisconsin sits inside the Midwest PADD, the largest propane-storage region in the country, anchored by the Conway, Kansas hub. Wholesale reaches Wisconsin terminals by pipeline and rail rather than the multi-state truck moves that add cost in the Northeast and on the West Coast.
Short last miles.
Terminals at Manitowoc, the Milwaukee port-rail facilities and inland depots put most dealer storage within 200 miles of supply. Interior Northeast dealers can be trucking from terminals 1,000 miles away; that difference shows up on every gallon.
Dairy-belt route density.
Wisconsin is the second-largest dairy state, with more than 6,000 working dairies. Propane heats barns and calf hutches, runs milking-parlour water heaters and dries corn; a mid-size dairy can burn 5,000 to 15,000 gallons a year. Dense commercial routes spread overhead across more volume, and homes on the same routes pay less for it.
The lesson of 2014.
The 2013-14 polar-vortex shortage pushed Wisconsin retail from under two dollars to over four in some markets and ran tanks dry. Suppliers answered with deeper in-state storage, firm pipeline allocations and a hard push toward keep-full and summer pre-buy. Supply is now locked before December rather than chased on the spot market, which is why cold winters no longer swing Wisconsin prices the way they once did.
Buying propane well in Wisconsin: four moves that change the bill
A few hundred dollars a winter separates a careless fill from a well-run account. This is where that money is won.
01
Confirm the DSPS licence
Anyone filling LP-gas containers in Wisconsin needs a Liquefied Gas Supplier licence from the Department of Safety and Professional Services under Wis. Stat. § 101.16, with liability insurance under § 101.16(3r)(a). Search the operator at license.wi.gov under the Liquefied Gas Supplier credential. Insurance, inspections and any dispute all hang on that standing.
02
Lock summer, not autumn
Wholesale bottoms in mid-summer when heating demand is near zero, and most Wisconsin suppliers open pre-buy enrolment from June 1 to August 31. A 1,200-gallon household that locks 15 cents under the winter rate banks about $180. Ask for a cap price (you keep the saving if wholesale falls) rather than a strict pre-buy, and ask whether unused gallons roll forward.
03
Quote all three supplier tiers
Wisconsin has a real three-tier market: national carriers, Upper-Midwest regionals and farm co-ops, and family operators in the Northwoods and dairy belt. In rural counties the gap between the cheapest local and the priciest national quote can reach 40 to 60 cents a gallon, so get one written quote from each tier. If you own your tank, say so first: it removes the switching penalty leased-tank customers face.
04
Check WHEAP eligibility
The Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program, run by DOA-DEHCR, pays a one-time heating benefit toward propane for households at or below 60% of state median income (program year October 1 to September 30). Crisis Assistance covers shutoffs and empty tanks year-round. Apply at energyandhousing.wi.gov, through your county energy office, or on 1-866-HEATWIS.
Rated by customers
Wisconsin 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.
Southeast Wisconsin / Milwaukee metro
Boehlke Bottled Gas
Cedarburg, Wisconsin
4.9500+ reviews, Birdeye
Family-run since the 1940s, automatic delivery across Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties.
See the reviews ›Northeast Wisconsin / Fox Valley
LP Plus
Green Bay, Wisconsin
5.0200+ reviews, Chamber of Commerce
Independent refill and delivery operator, repeatedly cited for low pricing and fast service around Green Bay.
See the reviews ›West-central Wisconsin / Chippewa Valley
Quality Propane & Fuels
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
4.5130+ reviews, Birdeye
Regional independent serving the Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls area with residential and farm delivery.
See the reviews ›Northwoods / Northwest Wisconsin
Northern Lakes Propane
Hayward, Wisconsin
4.58 reviews, Chamber of Commerce
Long-established Hayward-area supplier with bulk fuel and HVAC service; small but consistently positive review base.
See the reviews ›Verified on the state registry
183 Wisconsin dealers on the DATCP register, the largest 8 by LPG meters
| Dealer | City | LPG meters | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amerigas Propane, LP. | Waupun | 98 | (608) 642-2322 |
| Lakes Gas Co. | South Beloit | 59 | (651) 379-3260 |
| Ferrellgas, LP. | Delafield | 48 | (817) 819-5111 |
| Ferrellgas, Blue Rhino, Ferrell North America* | Breezy Hill Campground | 36 | (800) 444-0316 |
| Country Visions Cooperative | Black Creek | 34 | (920) 754-4321 |
| Growmark, Inc. | Darlington | 32 | (920) 674-7000 |
| Alcivia | Alcivia | 28 | (715) 304-3788 |
| Milton Propane Incorporated | Sturgeon Bay | 18 | (608) 868-2874 |
Source: Wisconsin DATCP LPG Meter Directory, captured 5 June 2026 (source document). A registry listing is a licence record, not an endorsement. Confirm current standing on the DSPS licence lookup.
Wisconsin propane, the questions people ask
How do I check whether a Wisconsin propane company is licensed?
Wisconsin propane retailers (any business that fills LP-gas containers for end users) must hold a Liquefied Gas Supplier licence issued by the Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) under Wis. Stat. § 101.16. Licences renew every two years and require commercial general liability insurance under § 101.16(3r)(a). Use the DSPS licence lookup at license.wi.gov/s/license-lookup and search the Liquefied Gas Supplier credential type. Never take a fill from an unlicensed operator: insurance, tank inspection and dispute resolution all hinge on DSPS standing.
Where do the dealers on this page come from?
The registry list is drawn from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) LPG Meter Directory, the state's public record of registered liquefied-petroleum-gas meter operators, captured on 5 June 2026. It is a licence snapshot, not an endorsement, so confirm current standing with the DSPS lookup before you sign. The number beside each dealer is its count of registered LPG meters, a rough proxy for scale. The rated shortlist above it is separate: a hand-checked set of dealers with strong public review scores.
Am I eligible for WHEAP propane assistance in Wisconsin?
The Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP) is the state's LIHEAP-funded fuel-assistance scheme, run by the Department of Administration's Division of Energy, Housing and Community Resources. For the 2025-2026 program year (October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026) households must earn at or below 60% of Wisconsin state median income. State statute 16.27(4)(a) defines the heating season as October 1 through May 15; regular benefits cover propane, natural gas, electricity, fuel oil and wood. Apply at energyandhousing.wi.gov, through your county energy-assistance office, or by calling 1-866-HEATWIS. Crisis Assistance is available year-round for households facing shutoff or an empty tank.
When should Wisconsin homeowners pre-buy propane?
Mid-July through August is the strongest window. Wholesale propane is at its annual low, and most Wisconsin suppliers run pre-buy enrolment between June 1 and August 31. Dairy farms in central and western Wisconsin lock crop-drying and barn-heating gallons earlier, late July into early September, because they need certainty before harvest. A household using 1,000 to 1,500 gallons a year typically saves $150 to $300 by pre-buying against winter spot rates. Read the contract: a cap-price contract keeps the saving if wholesale falls, a strict pre-buy locks price and gallons both ways. Ask whether unused pre-paid gallons roll over. At this season's $1.94 average a 1,200-gallon household is spending about $2328 on fuel, so a 15-cent saving is worth $180.
Why is propane in the Northwoods and cabin country priced differently?
The Northwoods (Vilas, Oneida, Sawyer, Bayfield, Iron, Ashland, Forest counties), the Door County peninsula and the chain-of-lakes regions carry a heavy second-home and summer-cabin footprint. Suppliers there run two delivery patterns: a year-round residential and resort book, plus a Memorial-Day-to-Labor-Day cabin surge for grills, water heaters and on-demand furnaces. Many offer keep-fill or monitored contracts for absent cabin owners priced a few cents above year-round rates, the cost of the extra route visits. If you own a cabin, ask whether the supplier treats your address as year-round rural or seasonal: that tier choice can swing 15 to 30 cents a gallon.
What should I expect to pay in deep rural northern Wisconsin?
Northwoods counties typically run 10 to 30 cents a gallon above the state average because of longer routes, fewer customers per square mile and thinner terminal access than the I-94 dairy belt. Lake Superior shore communities sometimes pay more again in deep winter, where propane is often the only practical heating fuel. The flip side is that many Northwoods suppliers are family operators with route economies national chains cannot match, so the spread between the cheapest local quote and the most expensive national one can be 40 to 60 cents a gallon. Always quote at least three.
Did the 2014 propane shortage change Wisconsin pricing?
Yes, structurally. Record corn-drying demand in autumn 2013 drained Conway and other PADD 2 storage, then a polar-vortex January spiked heating demand just as supply was thin. Wisconsin retail rose from roughly $1.80 in November 2013 to $4.20 in January 2014 in some markets, and rural customers hit empty tanks. Afterwards Wisconsin suppliers, with Minnesota and Iowa peers, built deeper in-state storage, signed firm pipeline allocations and pushed customers toward summer pre-buy and keep-full programmes. The discipline shows in current pricing: Wisconsin sits at $1.94 against a $2.69 national average, helped by PADD 2 storage proximity and reliable Midwest wholesale access.
Keep reading
All Wisconsin dealers
The complete verified directory of 183 Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin homes inside and outside the gas-main grid.