Gas prices declining as holiday nears

After holding steady for nine days, the national gas price average is slowly declining at the start of the Thanksgiving week. At $2.54, today’s national gas price average is two cents less than one week ago and 40 cents more than a year ago. However, the more expensive year-over-year pump price is not stopping Americans from hitting the road for holiday travel.

Locally, South Jersey motorists are paying an average of $2.51 per gallon of unleaded gas. This is a 4-cent decrease from last week ($2.55), but is 19 cents higher than this time last month ($2.32). Today’s price is also 37 more than this time last year ($2.14).

“Nearly 46 million Americans will travel more than 50 miles away from their home by car this holiday. Many will be thankful to see gas prices trending cheaper in cities across the country,” said Jeanette Casselano, AAA spokesperson. “Since 2014, the national gas price average has dropped one to five cents heading into the Thanksgiving week.”

Motorists can find gas for $2.50 or less at 55 percent of gas stations in the country.

Quick Stats

• The nation’s top ten states with the largest yearly increases: Alaska (+63 cents), Illinois (+59 cents), Indiana (+58 cents), Minnesota (+55 cents), Wisconsin (+54 cents), California (+52 cents), Michigan (+51 cents), Kansas (+49 cents), Iowa (+47 cents) and Colorado (+47 cents).
• The nation’s top ten states with the least expensive gas prices: Alabama ($2.25), Mississippi ($2.26), South Carolina ($2.27), Texas ($2.28), Arkansas ($2.29), Oklahoma ($2.31), Virginia ($2.31), Tennessee ($2.31), Louisiana($2.33) and Missouri ($2.35).

Mid-Atlantic and Northeast

Gas prices in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast region either are seeing no change or small declines at the pump on the week with Delaware (-3 cents) seeing the largest decrease. Pennsylvania ($2.78), Washington, D.C. ($2.73), Connecticut ($2.71), New York ($2.69) and Rhode Island ($2.61) carry the most expensive gas in the region. At $2.31, Virginia touts the cheapest of all Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states.