Gasoline prices averaged $2.556 a gallon in the Chicago-Gary-Kenosha area in January 2017, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Charlene Peiffer noted that area gasoline prices were up 56.4 cents compared to January 2016 when they averaged $1.992 per gallon. Chicago area households paid an average of 15.2 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity in January 2017, comparable to the 15.3 cents per kWh paid in January 2016. In January, the average cost of utility (piped) gas was 87.6 cents per therm, up from its average price of 71.7 cents per therm a year earlier. (Data in this release are not seasonally adjusted; accordingly, over-the-year-analysis is used throughout.)

At $2.556 a gallon, prices for gasoline in the Chicago area were 14.7 cents higher than the national average of $2.409 a gallon in January 2017. In January 2015 and 2016 Chicago area gasoline prices were lower than the national average by 3.0 cents and 4.2 cents, respectively. Local area gasoline prices were higher than the national average in January in 2013 (5.1 cents) and 2014 (16.7 cents). (See chart 1.)

The 15.2 cents per kWh that Chicago households paid for electricity in January 2017 was 13.4 percent higher than the nationwide average cost of 13.4 cents per kWh. With the exception of January 2014, when Chicago area electricity costs were comparable to the national average, Chicago electricity costs in the previous four years (2013-2016) in January have exceeded the national average, ranging from 14.2 percent to 24.6 percent more. (See chart 2.)

Prices paid by Chicago area consumers for utility (piped) gas, commonly referred to as natural gas, were 87.6 cents per therm in January 2017, 12.4 percent below the national average of $1.000 per therm. In the previous four years (2013-2016) in January, Chicago area utility (piped) gas costs were lower than the national average, ranging from 12.6 percent to 20.2 percent less. (See chart 3.)

The Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, Ill.-Ind.-Wis., Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area consists of Cook, De Kalb, Du Page, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties in Illinois; Lake and Porter Counties in Indiana; and Kenosha County in Wisconsin.

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 2017 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, March 15, 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 in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.

Table 1. Average prices for gasoline, electricity, and utility (piped) gas, Chicago-Gary-Kenosha and the United States, January 2016 – January 2017, not seasonally adjusted

Year and month	Gasoline per gallon		Electricity per kWh		Utility (piped) gas per therm
	Chicago area	United States	Chicago area	United States	Chicago area	United States
2016
January	$1.992	$2.034	$0.153	$0.134	$0.717	$0.898
February	1.710	1.833	0.153	0.134	0.733	0.895
March	2.095	2.021	0.154	0.134	0.725	0.884
April	2.331	2.196	0.154	0.134	0.709	0.879
May	2.499	2.324	0.155	0.133	0.707	0.877
June	2.708	2.422	0.151	0.138	0.744	0.891
July	2.403	2.287	0.153	0.139	0.781	0.931
August	2.390	2.218	0.151	0.139	0.813	0.943
September	2.415	2.269	0.151	0.139	0.844	0.954
October	2.419	2.304	0.148	0.134	0.852	0.961
November	2.242	2.246	0.148	0.131	0.869	0.970
December	2.433	2.289	0.148	0.133	0.836	0.972
2017
January	2.556	2.409	0.152	0.134	0.876	1.000