The national average price for a gallon of regular gas decreased on Friday, providing relief for the nation’s drivers at the pumps.
Fuel costs dipped to $3.207 per gallon on Friday to end the work week, according to AAA. The latest gas prices represent a decrease from Thursday when the national average price for gas was $3.22 per gallon. Friday’s price is exactly one cent less than the cost of gas a week ago when it was $3.217.
The price drop on Friday was a stark contrast to last week when gas prices increased over eight cents. Fuel costs gradually started trending downward earlier this month. However, as is customary every year during the summer months, gas prices increase. This year, the typical summer gas price surge coincided with increased tensions in the Middle East and the threat of war between Israel and Iran, contributing to the increase at the pumps.
Yet, despite the recent increases, especially considering the geopolitical friction, fuel costs have remained relatively stable. There have been fluctuations, of course. As gas prices decreased on Friday, they still are higher than a month ago, when the national average cost for a gallon of regular gas was $3.174. Earlier in June, prices had dropped to $3.124 per gallon.
However, even though gas prices are slightly higher than June’s previous lows, prices today are much less expensive than a year ago, when Joe Biden was president. A year ago, the national average cost for a gallon of regular gas was $3.503.
As mentioned earlier, fuel costs had been declining prior to last week’s increase. Many states nationwide experienced statewide average gas prices below the $3 per gallon threshold. Earlier in June, 28 states had an average gas price of under $3 per gallon, a reality that last happened several years ago. That has changed recently, with states increasing prices in the second half of June. As of today, this dropped to 17 states, matching last week’s total.
In the U.S., where one lives is predominantly the determining factor of how much one pays at the pumps. Different regions of the country have different average gas prices, sometimes substantially so. Statistically speaking, the states with the cheapest gas prices are found, for the most part, along the Gulf region. States with the highest gas prices in the country are on the West Coast, led by the Democratic Party stronghold, California.
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The average price for a gallon of regular gas in the Golden State is $4.61. This is nearly 14 cents higher than the state with the next most expensive gas prices, Hawaii, with a statewide average cost of $4.475. Next is the state of Washington, which is slightly cheaper than Hawaii, with an average price of $4.447 per gallon. Oregon and Nevada round out the five states with the most expensive gas prices in the country, at $4.061 per gallon and $3.809 per gallon, respectively.
As for states with the lowest gas prices in the country on Friday, Mississippi ranks no. 1., with a statewide average of $2.725 per gallon. Oklahoma is next, with an average cost of $2.796. Texas is the third-least expensive state regarding fuel costs, with an average price of $2.801 per gallon. Tennessee at $2.807 per gallon and Louisiana at $2.818 round out the states with the five least expensive gas prices in the country.