Gasoline prices averaged $3.541 a gallon in the Atlanta area in May 2013, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner Janet S. Rankin noted that area gasoline prices were similiar to last May when they averaged $3.588 per gallon. Atlanta area households paid an average of 1.526 per therm of utility (piped) gas in May 2013, more than the $1.299 per therm paid in May 2012. The average cost of a kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity at 11.2 cents in May was less than the 12.0 cents paid last year. (Data in this release are not seasonally adjusted; accordingly, over-the-year-analysis is used throughout.)

Atlanta area consumers paid $3.541 per gallon of gasoline compared to the $3.682 paid nationally in May 2013. A year earlier, consumers in the Atlanta area paid 6.5 percent less than the national average for a gallon of gasoline. The local price of a gallon of gasoline has been lower than the national average by more than five percent in the month of May for two of the last five years. (See chart 1.)

The 11.2 cents per kWh Atlanta households paid for electricity in May 2013 was 14.5 percent less than the nationwide average of 13.1 cents per kWh. Last May, electricity costs were 7.0 percent lower in Atlanta compared to the nation. In each of the past five years, prices paid by Atlanta area consumers for electricity were at least 6 percent less than the U.S. average in the month of May. (See chart 2.)

Prices paid by Atlanta area consumers for utility (piped) gas, commonly referred to as natural gas, were $1.526 per therm, or 47.3 percent more compared to the national average in May 2013 (1.036 cents per therm). A year earlier, area consumers paid 43.2 percent more per therm for natural gas compared to the nation. In four of the past five years, the per therm cost for natural gas in May for Atlanta households was at least 28.0 percent more than the U.S. average. (See chart 3.)

The Atlanta, Ga. Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) consists of Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Newton, Paulding, Pickens, Rockdale, Spalding, and Walton Counties in Georgia.

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, 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.

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 from 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, Atlanta area and the United States, May 2012-2013, not seasonally adjusted

Year and Month	Gasoline Per Gallon		Electricity per kWh		Utility (piped) gas per therm
	Atlanta area	United States	Atlanta area	United States	Atlanta area	United States
2012
May	3.588	3.839	0.120	0.129	1.299	0.907
June	3.322	3.602	0.143	0.135	1.326	0.927
July	3.353	3.502	0.143	0.133	1.353	0.943
August	3.665	3.759	0.143	0.133	1.386	0.960
September	3.833	3.908	0.143	0.133	1.341	0.953
October	3.593	3.839	0.112	0.128	1.381	0.962
November	3.284	3.542	0.108	0.127	1.440	0.994
December	3.221	3.386	0.108	0.127	1.473	1.004
2013
January	3.324	3.407	0.112	0.129	1.446	0.996
February	3.647	3.748	0.112	0.129	1.438	0.997
March	3.646	3.792	0.108	0.128	1.458	0.994
April	3.445	3.647	0.109	0.128	1.521	1.020
May	3.541	3.682	0.112	0.131	1.526	1.036