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, January 25, 2021
21-18-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 — December 2020
Gasoline prices averaged $2.290 per gallon in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin area in December 2020, the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Jason Palmer noted that area gasoline
prices were down 34.8 cents compared to December 2019, when they averaged $2.638 per gallon. Chicago
area households paid an average of 14.1 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity in December 2020,
unchanged from December 2019. In December, the average cost of utility (piped) gas was 80.8 cents per
therm, more than its average price of 76.0 cents per therm a year earlier. (Data in this release are not
seasonally adjusted; accordingly, over-the-year-analysis is used throughout.)
The $2.290 per gallon Chicago households paid for gasoline in December 2020 was higher than the
nationwide average of $2.235. In the previous four years in December (2016-2019), gasoline prices in the
Chicago area ranged from 17.0 cents less to 16.9 cents more than the nationwide average. (See chart 1.)
The 14.1 cents per kWh that Chicago households paid for electricity in December 2020 was comparable to the
national average cost of 13.6 cents per kWh. In Chicago, average electricity costs were higher than the
national average in the previous four years (2016-2019) in December, ranging from 6.0 percent to 16.2 percent
more. (See chart 2.)
2
Prices paid by Chicago area households for utility (piped) gas, commonly referred to as natural gas, were 80.8
cents per therm in December 2020, 27.5 percent less than the national average of $1.114 per therm. In each of
the previous four years (2016-2019) in December, Chicago area utility (piped) gas costs were lower than the
national average, ranging from 14.0 percent to 28.1 percent less. (See chart 3