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News Release Information

17-412-CHI
Friday, April 21, 2017

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (312) 353-1138

Average Energy Prices, Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint — March 2017

Gasoline prices averaged $2.461 a gallon in the Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint area in March 2017, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Charlene Peiffer noted that area gasoline prices were up 44.3 cents compared to last March when they averaged $2.018 per gallon. Detroit area households paid an average of 16.1 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity in March 2017, up 3.2 percent from March 2016. In March, the average cost of utility (piped) gas was 78.4 cents per therm, up from its average price of 77.2 cents per therm a year earlier. (Data in this release are not seasonally adjusted; accordingly, over-the-year-analysis is used throughout.)

At $2.461 a gallon in March 2017, costs for gasoline in the Detroit area were 7.5 cents higher than the national average of $2.386 a gallon. In March 2016, local area gasoline prices were close to the national average, while in March 2015, prices at the gas pumps were 12.5 cents lower in Detroit compared to the nation. (See chart 1.)

The 16.1 cents per kWh that Detroit households paid for electricity in March 2017 was 20.1 percent higher than the nationwide average cost of 13.4 cents per kWh. In the previous four years (2013-2016) in March, Detroit area electricity costs exceeded the national average, ranging from 5.1 percent to 21.1 percent more. (See chart 2.)

Prices paid by Detroit area consumers for utility (piped) gas, commonly referred to as natural gas, were 78.4 cents per therm in March 2017, 20.7 percent below the national average of 98.9 cents per therm. In the previous four years (2013-2016) in March, Detroit area utility (piped) gas costs were lower than the national average, ranging from 9.1 percent to 24.3 percent less. (See chart 3.)

The Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, Mich. consolidated area covered in this release is comprised of Genesee, Lapeer, Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, Washtenaw, and Wayne Counties in Michigan.

Historical average energy prices for the U.S. and select metropolitan areas are available at www.bls.gov/regions/midwest/data/averageenergyprices_selectedareas_table.htm.

The Consumer Price Index for April 2017 is scheduled to be released on Friday, May 12, 2017.


Technical Note

Average prices are estimated from Consumer Price Index (CPI) data for selected commodity series to support the research and analytic needs of CPI data users. Average prices for electricity, utility (piped) gas, and gasoline are published monthly for the U.S. city average, the 4 regions, the 3 population size classes, 10 region/size-class cross-classifications, and the 14 largest local index areas. For electricity, average prices per kilowatt-hour (kWh) are published. For utility (piped) gas, average prices per therm are published. For gasoline, the average price per gallon is published. Average prices for commonly available grades of gasoline are published as well as the average price across all grades.

All eligible prices are converted to a price per normalized quantity. These prices are then used to estimate a price for a defined fixed quantity.  The average price per kilowatt-hour represents the total bill divided by the kilowatt-hour usage. The total bill is the sum of all items applicable to all consumers appearing on an electricity bill including, but not limited to, variable rates per kWh, fixed costs, taxes, surcharges, and credits. This calculation also applies to the average price per therm for utility (piped) gas.

Information from this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-691-5200, Federal Relay Services: 800-877-8339.

Table 1. Average prices for gasoline, electricity, and utility (piped) gas, Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint and the United States, March 2016 – March 2017, not seasonally adjusted
Year and monthGasoline per gallonElectricity per kWhUtility (piped) gas per therm
Detroit areaUnited StatesDetroit areaUnited StatesDetroit areaUnited States

2016

 

March

$2.018$2.021$0.156$0.134$0.772$0.884

April

2.1792.1960.1560.1340.7260.879

May

2.3872.3240.1560.1330.7250.877

June

2.6792.4220.1620.1380.7280.891

July

2.4142.2870.1610.1390.7330.931

August

2.3792.2180.1680.1390.7410.943

September

2.4002.2690.1690.1390.7360.954

October

2.3822.3040.1700.1340.7420.961

November

2.2002.2460.1660.1310.7800.970

December

2.3832.2890.1660.1330.7840.972

2017

 

January

2.5122.4090.1670.1340.7861.000

February

2.3582.3600.1610.1350.7841.003

March

2.4612.3860.1610.1340.7840.989

 

Last Modified Date: Friday, April 21, 2017