U.S. Gas Prices Tick Up After Weeks of Declines, but Remain Well Below Last Year
After seven consecutive weeks of declines, U.S. gasoline prices have increased as oil prices climbed back near $60 per barrel. According to GasBuddy, the national average rose 3.1 cents last week to $2.76 per gallon. Despite the uptick, prices remain 8.6 cents lower than a month ago and 32.3 cents cheaper than this time last year.
Patrick De Haan of GasBuddy noted that while there may still be short-term opportunities for lower prices, that window is closing as states begin switching to more expensive summer gasoline blends. However, excess winter fuel inventories could lead to localized discounts in the near term.
As of January 19, all U.S. regions saw price increases, with averages ranging from $2.40 per gallon on the Gulf Coast to $3.66 on the West Coast.
AAA data shows the cheapest states for gas are primarily in the South and Midwest, led by Oklahoma ($2.34), followed by Kansas and Arkansas ($2.43 each), with several others clustered around $2.45–$2.47 per gallon.
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