The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor is the principal Federal agency responsible for measuring labor market activity, working conditions, and price changes in the economy.
For Release: Monday, November 23, 2020
20-2068-CHI
MIDWEST INFORMATION OFFICE: Chicago, Ill.
Technical information:
(312) 353-1880 BLSInfoChicago@bls.gov www.bls.gov/regions/midwest
Media contact:
(312) 353-1138
Average Energy Prices, Chicago-Naperville-Elgin — October 2020
Gasoline prices averaged $2.253 per gallon in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area in October 2020, the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that area gasoline
prices were down 48.0 cents compared to October 2019 when they averaged $2.733 per gallon. Chicago area
households paid an average of 14.2 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity in October 2020, less than the
16.6 cents in October 2019. In October, the average cost of utility (piped) gas was 79.3 cents per therm, more
than its average price of 76.7 cents per therm a year earlier. (Data in this release are not seasonally adjusted;
accordingly, over-the-year-analysis is used throughout.)
The $2.253 per gallon Chicago households paid for gasoline in October 2020 was similar to the nationwide
average of $2.228. In the previous four years, in October (2016-2019), gasoline prices in the Chicago area
ranged from 4.1 cents less to 11.5 cents more per gallon than the nationwide average. (See chart 1.)
The 14.2 cents per kWh that Chicago households paid for electricity in October 2020 was higher than the
national average cost of 13.5 cents per kWh. With the exception of October 2017, average electricity costs in
Chicago were higher than the national average in the previous four years (2016-2019) in October, ranging
from 10.4 percent to 22.1 percent more. (See chart 2.)
2
Prices paid by Chicago area households for utility (piped) gas, commonly referred to as natural gas, were 79.3
cents per therm in October 2020, 25.7 percent less than the national average of $1.067 per therm. In each of
the previous four years (2016-2019) in October, Chicago area utility (piped) gas costs were lower than the
national average, ranging from