Analysis from AAA showed this week that the national gas price average is 58 cents higher than a year ago, despite consistent declines in the month since the Memorial Day spike.
The current average sits at $2.85, fueled by price drops in 49 states over the past week. Those drops have left South Carolina with the lowest prices in the country at $2.50, followed by Mississippi, Alabama, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Tennessee, Virginia, Ohio, and Missouri. Despite the higher yearly figures, AAA sounded hopeful in their assessment, noting that gas prices may fall still further following OPEC’s announcement of expected increases in production.
“The OPEC production increase will help to offset concerns of shrinking global supply caused by high global demand this year,” Jeanette Casselano, AAA spokesperson, said. “For drivers in the U.S., pump prices likely will not see an impact immediately. Changes, and most likely not dramatic ones, are anticipated to hit pump prices late summer or early fall.”
The West Coast his seeing the most increases in gas pricing. They continue to host some of the most expensive markets in the country, with Hawaii leading at $3.73 even in the face of slight declines. The South, by contrast, host some of the cheapest in the country though their average remains 49 to 70 cents higher than last year.
The Great Lakes and Central states may not be at the lowest gas prices, but they certainly saw the largest dips in pricing this past week, with Indiana and Michigan seeing 14 and 13 cent drops, respectively. All state averages are under $3, with even the highest — Illinois — closing at $2.91. The Northeast only dropped slightly over the week, though they fared better over the past month. Even so, several states therein remain over $3 per gallon, including Pennsylvania, New York, and Connecticut. Finally, the Rockies host the only state in the country (Wyoming) to see an increase in pricing over the past week, while its regional partners saw only pennies-worth of decreases.