Here are some useful statistics and a little advice for people living in Texas (TX) who are looking to buy propane, searching for the best propane company or trying to find out whether it would be advantageous to switch propane companies. The average data on propane in Texas (TX) may not reflect each individual situation and should be taken as a guide on trends and averages in your quest for the right propane deal.

Propane usage and spending

Texas (TX) is a warm state compared to the rest of the United States. Therefore, people in Texas (TX) use much less propane (292 gallons per year on average) than the average American (464 gallons on average), according to US Energy Information Administration data (2009 RECS survey). Accordingly, people in Texas (TX) spend rather a lot less ($565 per year on average) than the average American household ($973 per year on average), according to the same data. Interestingly, total spending on energy for Texas (TX) homes is higher than in the country as a whole ($2,160 vs  $2,024) - mostly because electricity spending is far higher than national averages (as is usage).

	Texas (TX)	US
Average propane price (2012-2013 winter season)	N/A	$2.436
Propane usage per household (gallons)	292	464
Propane spending per household (dollars)	565	973
Propane spending per household on heating (dollars)	573	957
Electricity usage per household (kWh)	14,277	11,320
Electricity spending per household (dollars)	1,801	1,340
Electricity spending per household on heating (dollars)	230	222
Natural gas usage per household (thousand cubic feet)	45	66
Natural gas spending per household (dollars)	561	804
Natural gas spending per household on heating (dollars)	326	607
Average energy spending per household (dollars)	2,160	2,024
Average energy spending per household on heating (dollars)	310	N/A

Propane and energy statistics, 2009 figures / Source: US Energy Information Administration

Propane prices

Unfortunately, US EIA data only allows us to work out the average propane price for 2009: it was $1.934 for propane in Texas (TX), similar to the $2,096 paid in the United States on average. For the 2012-2013 winter season, openly accessible web data shows an average propane price per gallon of $2.157, thus less than the national average ($2.436), though data reliability is questionable.

Insofar as Texas (TX) is one of the trade spots for propane and close to the Gulf Coast, one of the US's major propane supply sources, it makes sense that the propane price should be cheaper than in the country as a whole. Texas (TX) is also a relatively warm state, so people need less propane for heating, which drives propane prices per gallon downwards.

However, Texas (TX) propane prices depend greatly on usage. Therefore, getting an accurate propane price will require detailed quote requests on your part. The difference between 1,000 and 500-gallon usage a year can be over a dollar in the quoted price. Call the propane companies close to your Texas (TX) home and find out what they charge.

Propane companies

Texas (TX) is not short on propane companies. Amerigas, Suburban Propane and Ferrellgas all have Texas (TX) outlets. Pinnacle Propane, Northwest Propane Gas, Enderby Gas Inc. dba Bishop Energy and Sharp Propane are among the US's top 50 propane gas companies that operate in Texas (TX). One cannot exclude that smaller companies or cooperatives may operate closer to your home, and they might be worth checking out, though they may not offer the same range of services or payment plans as larger companies.

Either way, your best bet to find the ideal propane supply situation for your home is the following: establish what you need (supply, maintenance, payment plans, pricing options, etc.); make a list of propane companies not too far from your Texas (TX) home; request detailed quotes from each propane dealer including all you might need from them; compare the detailed quotes to see which option suits your home best.

The propane industry and regulations

It is the Austin-based Texas (TX) Propane Gas Association that is responsible for outreach, training, lobbying and networking events for and on behalf of the Texas (TX) propane gas industry. Why should this interest you? Mostly because it is the TPGA that organizes the Certified Employee Training Program, recognized throughout the US as fostering the highest safety standards among propane industry employees.

In Texas (TX), propane activities fall under, among others: the Admin Code, Title 16, Chapter 9, LP gas safety rules; the Natural Resources Code, Title 3, Chapter 113, Liquefied petroleum gas. Furthermore, the Railroad Commission of Texas (TX) is the state oversight and advisory body for propane gas.