Gasoline prices averaged $2.032 per gallon in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn area in January 2019, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Charlene Peiffer noted that area gasoline prices were down 63.1 cents compared to last January when they averaged $2.663 per gallon. Detroit area households paid an average of 14.7 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity in January 2019, less than the 16.4 cents per kilowatt-hour in January 2018. In January, the average cost of utility (piped) gas was 86.4 cents per therm, higher than its average price of 77.4 cents per therm a year earlier. (Data in this release are not seasonally adjusted; accordingly, over-the-year-analysis is used throughout.)

At $2.032 per gallon in January 2019, costs for gasoline in the Detroit area were 32.0 cents lower than the national average of $2.352 per gallon. In January 2015 and 2016, Detroit area gasoline prices were 21.5 cents and 12.8 cents lower than the national average, respectively. Detroit area gasoline prices in January 2017 and January 2018 were 10.3 cents and 6.7 cents higher than the national average, respectively. (See chart 1.)

The 14.7 cents per kWh that Detroit households paid for electricity in January 2019 was 8.9 percent higher than the nationwide average cost of 13.5 cents per kWh. In the previous four years (2015-2018) in January, Detroit area electricity costs exceeded the national average, ranging from 3.6 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 86.4 cents per therm in January 2019, 20.1 percent below the national average of $1.082 per therm. In the previous four years (2015-2018) in January, Detroit area utility (piped) gas costs were lower than the national average, ranging from 11.2 percent to 26.1 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 February 2019 is scheduled to be released, Tuesday, March 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, January 2018 – January 2019, 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
2018
January	$2.663	$2.596	$0.164	$0.135	$0.774	$1.048
February	2.549	2.632	0.164	0.135	0.757	1.077
March	2.573	2.631	0.164	0.135	0.757	1.054
April	2.718	2.795	0.165	0.134	0.733	1.044
May	2.972	2.963	0.154	0.136	0.862	1.050
June	3.014	2.970	0.161	0.139	0.870	1.042
July	2.968	2.930	0.161	0.139	0.846	1.038
August	2.953	2.919	0.156	0.139	0.841	1.055
September	2.923	2.930	0.156	0.138	0.852	1.030
October	2.891	2.945	0.157	0.136	0.858	1.023
November	2.661	2.733	0.150	0.134	0.868	1.020
December	2.295	2.479	–	0.135	0.852	1.085
2019
January	2.032	2.352	0.147	0.135	0.864	1.082
Note: Dash (–) indicates no data available.