Gasoline prices averaged $2.729 a gallon in the Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint area in November 2017, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Charlene Peiffer noted that area gasoline prices were up 52.9 cents compared to last November when they averaged $2.200 per gallon. Detroit area households paid an average of 15.6 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity in November 2017, down 6.0 percent from November 2016. In November 2017, the average cost of utility (piped) gas was 77.0 cents per therm, comparable to its average price of 78.0 cents per therm a year earlier. (Data in this release are not seasonally adjusted; accordingly, over-the-year-analysis is used throughout.)

At $2.729 a gallon in November 2017, costs for gasoline in the Detroit area were 12.1 cents higher than the national average of $2.608 a gallon. In November 2013 and 2014, Detroit area gasoline prices were similar to the national average. In November 2015 and 2016, gasoline prices in the Detroit area were 9.0 cents more and 4.6 cents less, respectively. (See chart 1.)

The 15.6 cents per kWh that Detroit households paid for electricity in November 2017 was 14.7 percent higher than the nationwide average cost of 13.6 cents per kWh. In the previous four years (2013-2016) in November, Detroit area electricity costs exceeded the national average, ranging from 11.2 percent to 26.7 percent more. (See chart 2.)

Prices paid by Detroit area consumers for utility (piped) gas, commonly referred to as natural gas, were 77.0 cents per therm in November 2017, 25.1 percent below the national average of $1.028 per therm. In the previous four years (2013-2016) in November, Detroit area utility (piped) gas costs were lower than the national average, ranging from 11.1 percent to 19.6 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 December 2017 is scheduled to be released on Friday, January 12, 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, 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, November 2016 – November 2017, 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
2016
November	$2.200	$2.246	$0.166	$0.131	$0.780	$0.970
December	2.383	2.289	0.166	0.133	0.784	0.972
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