Gasoline prices averaged $3.654 a gallon in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn area in July 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that area gasoline prices were down $1.080 compared to last July when they averaged $4.734 per gallon. Detroit area households paid an average of 20.1 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity in July 2023, up from 18.9 cents per kWh in July 2022. The average cost of utility (piped) gas at $1.137 per therm in July was down from $1.429 per therm a year earlier. (Data in this release are not seasonally adjusted; accordingly, over-the-year-analysis is used throughout.)

At $3.654 a gallon, costs for gasoline in the Detroit area were 18.8 cents less than the national average of $3.842 a gallon in July 2023. Over the past five Julys, gasoline prices in the Detroit area have ranged from $4.734 to $2.222. (See chart 1.)

  

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Chart 1. Average prices for gasoline, the United States and Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI, 2019–23 (as of July)

Period	United States	Detroit
Jul 2019	$2.836	$2.918
Jul 2020	$2.243	$2.222
Jul 2021	$3.326	$3.328
Jul 2022	$4.768	$4.734
Jul 2023	$3.842	$3.654
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The 20.1 cents per kWh that Detroit households paid for electricity in July 2023 was 18.9 percent higher than the nationwide average cost of 16.9 cents per kWh. Over the past five Julys, Detroit area electricity prices have ranged from 28.0 percent to 15.2 percent higher than the national average. (See chart 2.)

  

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Chart 2. Average prices for electricity, the United States and Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI, 2019–23 (as of July)

Period	United States	Detroit
Jul 2019	$0.140	$0.173
Jul 2020	$0.137	$0.175
Jul 2021	$0.143	$0.183
Jul 2022	$0.164	$0.189
Jul 2023	$0.169	$0.201
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Prices paid by Detroit area consumers for utility (piped) gas, commonly referred to as natural gas, were $1.137 per therm in July 2023, 25.8 cents below the national average of $1.395 per therm. Utility (piped) gas prices in the Detroit area have been at least 12.3 percent below the national average over the previous five Julys. (See chart 3.)

  

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Chart 3. Average prices for utility (piped) gas, the United States and Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI, 2019–23 (as of July)

Period	United States	Detroit
Jul 2019	$1.029	$0.863
Jul 2020	$1.027	$0.857
Jul 2021	$1.241	$0.981
Jul 2022	$1.629	$1.429
Jul 2023	$1.395	$1.137
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI Core Based Statistical Area consists 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 August 2023 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, September 13, 2023, at 7:30 a.m. (CT).

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; Telecommunications Relay Service: 7-1-1.