As fall settles in, drivers across the U.S. are seeing welcome relief at the pump. The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline has dropped to $3.11, down from $3.16 last week and $3.19 a month ago, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA). That’s also below last year’s average of $3.20.
The drop comes as gasoline demand falls to a four-month low, while inventories remain high heading into the colder months. The seasonal switch from summer-grade to less expensive winter-grade fuel is also helping drive prices down. Analysts expect continued declines through October if crude prices stay stable.
In Rhode Island, drivers are paying slightly less than the national average, with prices currently at $3.01 per gallon.
By the Numbers
- Today’s National Average: $3.110
- One Week Ago: $3.159
- One Month Ago: $3.193
- One Year Ago: $3.204
Oil Market Trends
At Wednesday’s close, West Texas Intermediate crude rose 82 cents to $62.55 per barrel. Crude inventories climbed by 3.7 million barrels last week to 420.3 million barrels, which remains about 4% below the five-year average for this time of year.
State Breakdown
The nation’s most expensive gasoline markets are led by California ($4.66), Washington ($4.50), and Hawaii ($4.47).
The cheapest include Oklahoma ($2.60), Mississippi ($2.67), and Arkansas ($2.69).
EV Charging Costs Hold Steady
For electric vehicle owners, the national average cost of public charging remained unchanged this week at 36 cents per kilowatt hour.
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