Gasoline prices averaged $3.627 a gallon in the Cleveland-Akron-Lorain area in April 2013, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Charlene Peiffer noted that area gasoline prices were down 11.1 cents compared to last April when they averaged $3.738 per gallon. Cleveland area households paid an average of 12.0 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity in April 2013, down from 12.3 cents per kWh in April 2012. Utility (piped) gas averaged 76.5 cents per therm in April, up from its average price of 68.1 cents per therm a year earlier. (Data in this release are not seasonally adjusted; accordingly, over-the-year-analysis is used throughout.)

At $3.627 a gallon, costs for gasoline in the Cleveland area were similar to the national average of $3.647 in April 2013. A year earlier, consumers in the Cleveland area paid prices 6.0 percent (23.8 cents) below the national average for a gallon of gasoline. Local prices for a gallon of gasoline have been close to the national average in three of the past five Aprils; in the other two years, prices for a gallon of gasoline in Cleveland were lower by 5.6 percent (2009) and the 6.0 percent in 2012. (See chart 1.)

The 12.0 cents per kWh Cleveland households paid for electricity in April 2013 was 6.3 percent below the nationwide average of 12.8 cents per kWh. A year earlier, electricity costs in the Cleveland area were similar to the national average. Prices paid by Cleveland area consumers for electricity have been lower by as much as 6.4 percent compared to the national average in the month of April during the past five years. (See chart 2.)

Prices paid by Cleveland area consumers for utility (piped) gas, commonly referred to as natural gas, were 76.5 cents per therm, or 25.0 percent less than the national average of $1.02 per therm in April 2013. A year earlier, area consumers paid 28.4 percent less per therm for natural gas compared to the nation. Utility (piped) gas prices in the Cleveland area have been lower than the national average in each of the past five Aprils, ranging from 5.5 percent below in April 2009 to last year’s 28.4 percent differential. (See chart 3.)

The Cleveland-Akron Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA) consists of Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage and Summit Counties in Ohio.

Historical average energy prices for the U.S. and select metropolitan areas are available at www.bls.gov/ro5/ro5econ1.htm.

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) and per 500 kWh are published. For utility (piped) gas, average prices per therm, per 40 therms, and per 100 therms 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.

Price quotes for 40 therms and 100 therms of utility (piped) gas and for 500 kWh of electricity are collected in sample outlets for use in the average price programs only. Since they are for specified consumption amounts, they are not used in the CPI. All other price quotes used for average price estimation are regular CPI data.

With the exception of the 40 therms, 100 therms, and 500 kWh price quotes, 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.