Gasoline prices averaged $3.709 a gallon in the Cleveland-Akron-Lorain area in February 2013, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Charlene Peiffer noted that area gasoline prices rose 25.8 cents compared to last February when prices averaged $3.451 per gallon. Cleveland area households paid an average of 11.9 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity in February 2013, down from 12.2 cents per kWh in February 2012. Utility (piped) gas averaged 73.6 cents per therm in February, comparable to its price of 73.1 cents per therm a year earlier. (Data in this release are not seasonally adjusted; accordingly, over-the-year-analysis is used throughout.)

At $3.709 a gallon, costs for gasoline in the Cleveland area were similar to the national average of $3.748 in February 2013. A year earlier, consumers in the Cleveland area paid prices 4.7 percent (17.1 cents) below the national average for a gallon of gasoline. Local prices for a gallon of gasoline have been lower by more than 4 percent compared to the national average in the month of February for three of the past five years. (See chart 1.)

The 11.9 cents per kWh Cleveland households paid for electricity in February 2013 was 7.8 percent below the nationwide average of 12.9 cents per kWh. A year earlier, electricity costs were 4.7 percent lower in Cleveland compared to the nation. Over the past five Februaries, prices paid by Cleveland area consumers for electricity have been below the U.S. average by as much as 11.9 percent (February 2009). (See chart 2.)

Prices paid by Cleveland area consumers for utility (piped) gas, commonly referred to as natural gas, were 73.6 cents per therm, or 26.2 percent less than the national average of 99.7 cents per therm in February 2013. A year earlier, area consumers paid 25.9 percent less per therm for natural gas compared to the nation. February 2013 marked the largest difference in utility (piped) gas prices paid by Cleveland consumers compared to the nation over the past five Februaries. (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.

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.