Gasoline prices averaged $2.411 per gallon in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area in February 2019, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Charlene Peiffer noted that area gasoline prices were down 28.6 cents compared to February 2018 when they averaged $2.697 per gallon. Chicago area households paid an average of 16.1 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity in February 2019, comparable to the 16.2 cents paid in February 2018. In February, the average cost of utility (piped) gas was 81.6 cents per therm, similar to its average price of 80.6 cents per therm a year earlier. (Data in this release are not seasonally adjusted; accordingly, over-the-year-analysis is used throughout.)

The $2.411 per gallon Chicago households paid for gasoline in February 2019 was comparable to the nationwide average of $2.412. In February 2016, Chicago area gasoline prices were 12.3 cents lower than the national average; whereas, local area prices in February 2015, 2017, and 2018 ranged from 6.0 cents to 11.7 cents higher than the national average. (See chart 1.)

The 16.1 cents per kWh that Chicago households paid for electricity in February 2019 was 18.4 percent higher than the nationwide average cost of 13.6 cents per kWh. In each of the prior four years (2015-2018) in February, Chicago electricity costs were higher than the national average, ranging from 12.6 percent to 24.6 percent more. (See chart 2.)

Prices paid by Chicago area consumers for utility (piped) gas, commonly referred to as natural gas, were 81.6 cents per therm in February 2019, 22.4 percent below the national average of $1.051 per therm. In each of the previous four years (2015-2018) in February, Chicago area utility (piped) gas costs were lower than the national average, ranging from 11.8 percent to 25.2 percent less. (See chart 3.)

The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI., core based statistical area consists of Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties in Illinois; Jasper, Lake, Newton, and Porter Counties in Indiana; and Kenosha County in Wisconsin.

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 March 2019 is scheduled to be released on Wednesday, April 10, 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 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, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI and the United States, February 2018 – February 2019, not seasonally adjusted

Year and month	Gasoline per gallon		Electricity per kWh		Utility (piped) gas per therm
	Chicago area	United States	Chicago area	United States	Chicago area	United States
2018
February	$2.697	$2.632	$0.162	$0.135	$0.806	$1.077
March	2.742	2.631	0.157	0.135	0.811	1.054
April	2.953	2.795	0.155	0.134	0.824	1.044
May	3.132	2.963	0.156	0.136	0.828R	1.050
June	3.067	2.970	0.160	0.139	0.821R	1.042
July	2.998	2.930	0.158	0.139	0.834R	1.038
August	2.971	2.919	0.160	0.139	0.856	1.055
September	2.990	2.930	0.157	0.138	0.853	1.030
October	2.904	2.945	0.156	0.136	0.818	1.023
November	2.541	2.733	0.156	0.134	0.828	1.020
December	2.309	2.479	0.156	0.135	0.876	1.085
2019
January	2.216	2.352	0.161	0.135	0.852	1.082
February	2.411	2.412	0.161	0.136	0.816	1.051
R: Revised.