Average Energy Prices, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin — September 2021

Gasoline prices averaged $3.534 per gallon in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area in September 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that area gasoline prices were up $1.222 compared to September 2020, when they averaged $2.312 per gallon. Chicago area households paid an average of 14.4 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity in September 2021, similar to the 14.2 cents per kilowatt-hour paid in September 2020. In September, the average cost of utility (piped) gas was $1.128 per therm, more than its average price of 79.1 cents per therm a year earlier. (Data in this release are not seasonally adjusted; accordingly, over-the-year-analysis is used throughout.)

The $3.534 per gallon Chicago households paid for gasoline in September 2021 was 17.3 cents higher than the nationwide average of $3.361. In the previous three years in September (2018-2020) gasoline prices in the Chicago area were higher than the national average, ranging from 5.2 cents to 10.2 cents more. (See chart 1.)

The 14.4 cents per kWh that Chicago households paid for electricity in September 2021 was the same as the national average cost. In the previous four years in September (2017-2020), average electricity costs in the Chicago area exceeded the national average by as much as 15.8 percent more. (See chart 2.)

Prices paid by Chicago area households for utility (piped) gas, commonly referred to as natural gas, were $1.128 per therm in September 2021, 13.4 percent less than the national average of $1.302 per therm. In the previous four years (2017-2020) in September, Chicago area utility (piped) gas costs were lower than the national average, ranging from 16.8 percent to 25.8 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 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.

Year and month	Gasoline per gallon		Electricity per kWh		Utility (piped) gas per therm
	United States	Chicago area	United States	Chicago area	United States	Chicago area
2020
September	$2.260	$2.312	$0.137	$0.142	$1.064	$0.791
October	2.228	2.253	0.135	0.142	1.067	0.793
November	2.159	2.176	0.136	0.141	1.104	0.808
December	2.235	2.290	0.136	0.141	1.114	0.808
2021
January	2.391	2.472	0.136	0.140	1.119	0.822
February	2.559	2.663	0.137	0.141	1.124	0.832
March	2.856	2.963	0.138	0.148	1.144	0.876
April	2.907	3.072	0.139	0.143	1.166	1.037
May	3.041	3.223	0.140	0.146	1.201	1.068
June	3.245	3.488	0.142	0.143	1.219	1.111
July	3.326	3.543	0.143	0.147	1.241	1.101
August	3.351	3.531	0.144	0.148	1.267	1.120
September	3.361	3.534	0.144	0.144	1.302	1.128

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