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News Release Information

19-1510-CHI
Friday, August 30, 2019

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

Average Energy Prices, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn — July 2019

Gasoline prices averaged $2.918 per gallon in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn area in July 2019, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Charlene Peiffer noted that area gasoline prices were lower than last July when they averaged $2.968 per gallon. Detroit area households paid an average of 17.3 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity in July 2019, more than the 16.1 cents per kilowatt-hour in July 2018. In July, the average cost of utility (piped) gas was 86.3 cents per therm, similar to its average price of 84.6 cents per therm a year earlier. (Data in this release are not seasonally adjusted; accordingly, over-the-year-analysis is used throughout.)

At $2.918 per gallon in July 2019, costs for gasoline in the Detroit area were 8.2 cents higher than the national average of $2.836 per gallon. In the previous four years (2015-2018) in July, Detroit area gasoline prices ranged from 3.8 cents more to 15.8 cents more compared to the U.S. average. (See chart 1.)

The 17.3 cents per kWh that Detroit households paid for electricity in July 2019 was 23.6 percent higher than the nationwide average cost of 14.0 cents per kWh. In the previous four years (2015-2018) in July, Detroit area electricity costs exceeded the national average, ranging from 13.4 percent to 15.8 percent more. (See chart 2.)

Prices paid by Detroit area consumers for utility (piped) gas, commonly referred to as natural gas, were 86.3 cents per therm in July 2019, 16.1 percent below the national average of $1.029 per therm. In the previous four years (2015-2018) in July, Detroit area utility (piped) gas costs were lower than the national average, ranging from 15.8 percent to 25.1 percent less. (See chart 3.)

The Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI, 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 August 2019 is scheduled to be released Thursday, September 12, 2019.


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, MI, and the United States, July 2018 – July 2019, not seasonally adjusted
Year and monthGasoline per gallonElectricity per kWhUtility (piped) gas per therm
Detroit areaUnited StatesDetroit areaUnited StatesDetroit areaUnited States

2018

July

$2.968$2.930$0.161$0.139$0.846$1.038

August

2.9532.9190.1560.1390.8411.055

September

2.9232.9300.1560.1380.8521.030

October

2.8912.9450.1570.1360.8581.023

November

2.6612.7330.1500.1340.8681.020

December

2.2952.4790.1350.8521.085

2019

January

2.0322.3520.1470.1350.8641.082

February

2.2942.4120.1470.1360.8571.051

March

2.5762.6200.1470.1350.8441.048

April

2.8312.8940.1470.1350.8561.034

May

2.8502.9630.1510.1360.8711.035

June

2.7462.8140.1580.1390.8741.035

July

2.9182.8360.1730.1400.8631.029

Note: Dash (–) indicates no data available.

 

Last Modified Date: Friday, August 30, 2019