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News Release Information

21-1888-SAN
Tuesday, October 19, 2021

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (415) 625-2270

Average Energy Prices, Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue – September 2021

Gasoline prices averaged $4.070 a gallon in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area in September 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Chris Rosenlund noted that area gasoline prices were $1.381 higher than last September when they averaged $2.689 per gallon. Seattle area households paid an average of 11.7 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity in September 2021, compared to the 11.4 cents per kWh paid in September 2020. The average cost of utility (piped) gas at $1.187 per therm in September was more than the $1.089 per therm spent last year. (Data in this release are not seasonally adjusted; accordingly, over-the-year-analysis is used throughout.)

At $4.070 a gallon, Seattle area consumers paid 21.1 percent more than the $3.361 national average in September 2021. A year earlier, consumers in the Seattle area paid 19.0 percent more than the national average for a gallon of gasoline. The local price of a gallon of gasoline has been within 21.1 percent of the national average in the month of September during the past five years. (See chart 1.)

Chart 1. Average prices for gasoline, the United States and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, 2017–21 (as of September)

The 11.7 cents per kWh Seattle households paid for electricity in September 2021 was 18.8 percent less than the nationwide average of 14.4 cents per kWh. Last September, electricity costs were 16.8 percent lower in Seattle compared to the nation. In each of the past five years during the month of September, prices paid by Seattle area consumers for electricity were less than the U.S. average by at least 16.8 percent. (See chart 2.)

Chart 2. Average prices for electricity, the United States and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, 2017–21 (as of September)

Prices paid by Seattle area consumers for utility (piped) gas, commonly referred to as natural gas, were $1.187 per therm, or 8.8 percent below the national average in September 2021 ($1.302 per therm). A year earlier, area consumers paid a similar amount per therm for natural gas compared to the nation. In the past five years, the per therm cost for natural gas in September in the Seattle area has varied between 8.8 percent below and 13.0 percent above the U.S. average. (See chart 3.)

Chart 3. Average prices for utility (piped) gas, the United States and Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, 2017–21 (as of September)

The Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Wash. metropolitan area consists of King, Snohomish, and Pierce Counties of Washington.


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 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA, September 2020–September 2021, not seasonally adjusted
Year and monthGasoline per gallonElectricity per kWhUtility (piped) gas per therm
United StatesSeattle areaUnited StatesSeattle areaUnited StatesSeattle area

2020

September

$2.260$2.689$0.137$0.114$1.064$1.089

October

2.2282.6270.1350.1131.0671.092

November

2.1592.6080.1360.1131.1041.175

December

2.2352.6470.1360.1141.1141.175

2021

January

2.3912.7260.1360.1141.1191.175

February

2.5592.8710.1370.1141.1241.175

March

2.8563.1650.1380.1141.1441.175

April

2.9073.3210.1390.1161.1661.175

May

3.0413.4480.1400.1161.2011.186

June

3.2453.8320.1420.1161.2191.186

July

3.3264.0130.1430.1171.2411.186

August

3.3514.0770.1440.1171.2671.186

September

3.3614.0700.1440.1171.3021.187

 

Last Modified Date: Tuesday, October 19, 2021