Gas Prices Decline for Fourth Consecutive Week

Gas prices are in a monthlong downward trend. (pic by minthilltimes.com)

A near monthlong trend of falling gasoline prices has been a lone bright economic spot for many motorists that spent most of their summers paying top dollar for fuel. The American Automobile Association called the trend “welcome news for cash-strapped motorists.”

Four consecutive weekly price drops have the national average for regular unleaded gasoline sitting at $3.39, a 6 cent decline from the previous week. Throughout the streak, national average gas prices are down a total of 27 cents.

Lowest prices are clustered in the south, while the highest prices plague both coasts and the two non-continental states.

Here are the top five states with the lowest gas prices currently:

1. South Carolina – $3.147 per gallon
2. Missouri – $3.173 per gallon
3. Texas – $3.183 per gallon
4. Tennessee – $3.209 per gallon (ed. note – we paid $3.079 a gallon this past weekend in Sevierville, Tennessee)
5. Louisiana – $3.210 per gallon

And the most expensive gas in the nation can be found in the bottom five – seven if we went beyond the continental United States and included Alaska ($4.156 per gallon) and Hawaii ($4.232 per gallon), which far outstrip the rest of the nation:

1. California – $3.787 per gallon
2. Washington – $3.760 per gallon
3. Oregon – $3.727 per gallon
4. New York – $3.677 per gallon
5. Connecticut – $3.669 per gallon

Many pundits claim the streak will be broken, and most assume sooner than later. But we’ve already seen the prognosticators proven wrong on car sales, with surprising results showing a turnaround in Detroit and beyond, while Japanese stalwarts Honda and Toyota continue to struggle.

So gasoline prices could be another area of surprise. We sure hope so, because we’re loving taking advantage of the lower prices to travel.