Gasoline prices averaged $2.663 a gallon in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn area in January 2018, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Charlene Peiffer noted that area gasoline prices were up 15.1 cents compared to last January when they averaged $2.512 per gallon. In January 2018, Detroit area households paid an average of 16.4 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for electricity and 77.4 cents per therm for utility (piped) gas; both comparable to the 16.7 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) and 78.6 cents per therm paid a year earlier, respectively. (Data in this release are not seasonally adjusted; accordingly, over-the-year-analysis is used throughout.)

At $2.663 a gallon in January 2018, costs for gasoline in the Detroit area were 6.7 cents higher than the national average of $2.596 a gallon. In the previous four years in January (2014-2017), gasoline prices in the Detroit area ranged from 21.5 cents less to 10.3 cents more per gallon than the national average. (See chart 1.)

The 16.4 cents per kWh that Detroit households paid for electricity in January 2018 was 21.5 percent higher than the nationwide average cost of 13.5 cents per kWh. Except January 2015, when Detroit area electricity costs were comparable to the national average, in the previous four years (2014-2017) in January, Detroit area electricity costs exceeded the national average, ranging from 10.4 percent to 24.6 percent more. (See chart 2.)

Prices paid by Detroit area consumers for utility (piped) gas, commonly referred to as natural gas, were 77.4 cents per therm in January 2018, 26.1 percent below the national average of $1.048 per therm. In the previous four years (2014-2017) in January, Detroit area utility (piped) gas costs were lower than the national average, ranging from 11.2 percent to 21.4 percent less. (See chart 3.)

The Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, Mich. core based statistical area covered in this release is comprised of Lapeer, Livingston, Macomb, Oakland, St. Clair, 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 February 2018 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, March 13, 2018.

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, 9 divisions, 2 population size classes, 8 region/size-class cross-classifications, and the 23 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-Warren-Dearborn and the United States, January 2017 – January 2018, not seasonally adjusted

Year and month	Gasoline per gallon		Electricity per kWh		Utility (piped) gas per therm
	Detroit area	United States	Detroit area	United States	Detroit area	United States
2017
January	$2.512	$2.409	$0.167	$0.134	$0.786	$1.000
February	2.358	2.360	0.161	0.135	0.784	1.003
March	2.461	2.386	0.161	0.134	0.784	0.989
April	2.623	2.479	0.161	0.135	0.775	1.000
May	2.492	2.448	0.161	0.137	0.787	1.036
June	2.517	2.400	0.164	0.142	0.780	1.040
July	2.502	2.344	0.164	0.143	0.772	1.031
August	2.566	2.436	0.163	0.142	0.775	1.027
September	2.683	2.688	0.161	0.142	0.775	1.018
October	2.597	2.545	0.154	0.137	0.774	1.020
November	2.729	2.608	0.156	0.136	0.770	1.028
December	2.533	2.521	0.156	0.136	0.772	1.042
2018
January	2.663	2.596	0.164	0.135	0.774	1.048