Gasoline prices averaged $3.313 per gallon in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn area in September 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that area gasoline prices were $1.246 higher than a year ago in September when they averaged $2.067 per gallon. Detroit area households paid an average of 18.3 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity in September 2021, comparable to the 18.0 cents in September 2020. In September, the average cost of utility (piped) gas was $1.022 per therm, more than the average price of 89.0 cents per therm a year earlier. (Data in this release are not seasonally adjusted; accordingly, over-the-year-analysis is used throughout.)

At $3.313 per gallon, gasoline costs in the Detroit area were below the national average of $3.361 per gallon in September 2021. In the previous four years in September (2017-2020), gasoline prices in Detroit have ranged from 19.3 cents less to 3.0 cents more than the national average. (See chart 1.)

The 18.3 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) that Detroit area households paid for electricity in September 2021 was 27.1 percent more than the nationwide average cost of 14.4 cents per kWh. In the prior four years in September (2017-2020), Detroit area electricity costs exceeded the national average, ranging from 13.0 percent to 31.4 percent more. (See chart 2.)

Prices paid by Detroit area consumers for utility (piped) gas, commonly referred to as natural gas, were $1.022 per therm in September 2021, 21.5 percent below the national average of $1.302 per therm. In the previous four years (2017-2020) in September, Detroit area utility (piped) gas costs were lower than the national average, ranging from 15.6 percent to 23.9 percent less. (See chart 3.)

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 October 2021 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, November 10, 2021.

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 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, the United States and Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI, September 2020–September 2021, not seasonally adjusted

Year and month	Gasoline per gallon		Electricity per kWh		Utility (piped) gas per therm
	United States	Detroit area	United States	Detroit area	United States	Detroit area
2020
September	$2.260	$2.067	$0.137	$0.180	$1.064	$0.890
October	2.228	2.079	0.135	0.181	1.067	0.962
November	2.159	1.982	0.136	0.173	1.104	0.954
December	2.235	2.076	0.136	0.173	1.114	0.957
2021
January	2.391	2.219	0.136	0.175	1.119	0.950
February	2.559	2.437	0.137	0.175	1.124	0.940
March	2.856	2.726	0.138	0.175	1.144	0.955
April	2.907	2.778	0.139	0.175	1.166	0.964
May	3.041	2.927	0.140	0.175	1.201	–
June	3.245	3.203	0.142	0.183	1.219	0.973
July	3.326	3.328	0.143	0.183	1.241	0.981
August	3.351	3.368	0.144	0.183	1.267	0.998
September	3.361	3.313	0.144	0.183	1.302	1.022
Note: Dash (–) indicates no data available.