| Internet: www.bls.gov/ro5/ | FOR RELEASE: |
| GENERAL INFORMATION: (312) 353-1880 | Wednesday, April 29, 2009 |
| MEDIA CONTACT: Paul LaPorte | |
| (312) 353-1138 |
Cleveland area consumers paid less for electricity (11.9 percent), utility (piped) gas, (6.9 percent), and gasoline (4.3 percent) than the U.S. city average in March 2009 as measured by the Consumer Price Index, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today. Regional Commissioner Jay A. Mousa noted that local electricity prices in March have been below the national average since 2002 and that gasoline prices in March have been below the national average in all but two years since 1999. (See table A.)
| Year | Electricity per kWh | Utility (piped) gas per therm | Gasoline per gallon | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Cleveland | Percent difference | United States | Cleveland | Percent difference | United States | Cleveland | Percent difference | |
1999 |
$0.084 | $0.107 | 27.4 | $0.663 | $0.551 | -16.9 | $1.048 | $1.037 | -1.0 |
2000 |
0.085 | 0.108 | 27.1 | 0.712 | 0.597 | -16.2 | 1.594 | 1.538 | -3.5 |
2001 |
0.089 | 0.102 | 14.6 | 1.078 | 1.076 | -0.2 | 1.503 | 1.433 | -4.7 |
2002 |
0.089 | 0.080 | -10.1 | 0.755 | 0.630 | -16.6 | 1.324 | 1.389 | 4.9 |
2003 |
0.089 | 0.079 | -11.2 | 1.028 | 0.836 | -18.7 | 1.791 | 1.683 | -6.0 |
2004 |
0.091 | 0.080 | -12.1 | 0.992 | 0.992 | 0.0 | 1.809 | 1.720 | -4.9 |
2005 |
0.094 | 0.080 | -14.9 | 1.096 | 1.130 | 3.1 | 2.107 | 2.139 | 1.5 |
2006 |
0.109 | 0.084 | -22.9 | 1.335 | 1.392 | 4.3 | 2.444 | 2.439 | -0.2 |
2007 |
0.113 | 0.084 | -25.7 | 1.291 | 1.156 | -10.5 | 2.639 | 2.506 | -5.0 |
2008 |
0.116 | 0.087 | -25.0 | 1.358 | 1.312 | -3.4 | 3.307 | 3.305 | -0.1 |
2009 |
0.126 | 0.111 | -11.9 | 1.208 | 1.125 | -6.9 | 2.000 | 1.915 | -4.3 |
A kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity cost Cleveland area consumers $0.111 in March 2009, 27.6 percent higher than in March 2008. Local area electricity prices have risen steadily since 2003 but have remained below the national average since 2002. Nationwide, electricity prices rose 8.6 percent over the year and were at their highest March level in the past decade. (See chart A.)
A therm—a measure of constant heating value—of utility (piped) gas, commonly referred to as natural gas, in the Cleveland area averaged $1.125 in March 2009. The local cost of natural gas fell 14.3 percent over the year, and was at its lowest March level since 2004. Nationwide, natural gas cost 11 percent less than a year earlier. Prices for natural gas in the Cleveland area have been below the national average in March for three years in a row. (See chart B.)
The average price of a gallon of gasoline in Cleveland was $1.915 in March 2009, a sharp decline of $1.390 or 42.1 percent from March a year ago. Nationally, the average price of gasoline fell 39.5 percent over the year. Although Cleveland area gasoline prices tended to trend upward, the recent decline is the largest recorded in the past ten years, bringing the price to just below $2.00 per gallon. The last time gasoline prices in March were below the $2.00 level was in 2004 ($1.720 per gallon). (See chart C.)
Chart A. Average prices for electricity, United States and Cleveland-Akron area, March 1999-2009
Chart B. Average prices for utility (piped) gas, United States and Cleveland-Akron area, March 1999-2009
Chart C. Average prices for gasoline, United States and Cleveland-Akron area, March 1999-2009
The Cleveland-Akron, Ohio Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA) includes the counties of Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage and Summit.
Additional information
Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-691-5200; TDD message referral phone number: 1-800-877-8339.
For personal assistance or further information on CPI data, as well as other Bureau data, contact the Midwest Information Office at 312-353-1880 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time.
Technical Information
Average prices for electricity, utility (piped) gas, and gasoline are published monthly for the U.S. city average, the 4 regions, the 3 population size classes, 10 region/size-class cross-classifications, and the 14 largest local index areas. For electricity, average prices per kilowatt-hour (kWh) and per 500 kWh are published. For utility (piped) gas, average prices per therm, per 40 therms, and per 100 therms 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.
Price quotes for 40 therms and 100 therms of utility (piped) gas and for 500 kWh of electricity are collected in sample outlets for use in the average price programs only. Since they are for specified consumption amounts, they are not used in the CPI. All other price quotes used for average price estimation are regular CPI data.
With the exception of the 40 therms, 100 therms, and 500 kWh price quotes, 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.
Last Modified Date: April 29, 2009
