The national average price for regular gas has gradually increased this week compared to last week. The steady hike comes as Americans are preparing to head into Memorial Day Weekend.
The average price for a gallon of regular-grade gas on Friday was $3.609, as reported by AAA. This represents an increase from the average cost of a week ago, which was $3.597 per gallon.
The current average price for a gallon of regular gas on Friday was slightly higher than at the beginning of the week. On Monday, it was $3.59 per gallon, and on Tuesday, it was $3.598 per gallon.
There’s a silver lining amidst the fluctuating gas prices. While Friday’s price was an increase overall compared to prices on Monday and Tuesday of this week and last week, the average gas cost decreased compared to Wednesday and Thursday. On Wednesday, prices reached $3.611 per gallon, and on Thursday, the average price for a gallon of regular gas hit a weekly high of $3.615.
As was the case all week, gas prices continue to be higher in 2024 than at this time last year. Friday’s average price of regular gas was higher than in May 2023. The average cost per gallon from a year ago was $3.561.
Mississippi is the state with the least expensive gas prices in the nation, with an average price of $3.058 per gallon. The state with the highest gas prices is still California at $5.138 per gallon on Friday.
Gas prices vary greatly depending on the state. To see how expensive gas is in each state heading into Memorial Day Weekend, click here.
Here is a look at gas prices around the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area heading into the weekend known as the unofficial start of summer.
Washington D.C.
The average price per gallon in the nation’s capital on Friday is $3.701, above the national average. However, this price was a slight decrease from Thursday, when it stood at $3.704. It was also down from last week when gas prices were $3.710 per gallon.
Virginia
Gas prices in Virginia continue to be below the national average. The cost of a gallon of regular-grade gas in Virginia on Friday was $3.471. This was a slight increase from Thursday when it cost $3.470 for a gallon of regular-grade gas. It follows the trend of average gas prices increasing in the state. Last week, the average price for a gallon regular-grade gas was $3.412.
Maryland
Maryland’s average per gallon on Friday is $3.667, which is above the national average, and a slight increase from Thursday, when prices stood at $3.666 per gallon. It is also a hike from Wednesday, in which the price for regular gas was $3.639. It’s also a significant increase in price compared to last week, when regular gas in the state averaged $3.559 per gallon.
Delaware
In Delaware, a gallon of regular gas on Friday costs an average of $3.521, which is below the national average. Today’s price slightly decreased from Thursday, when gas prices averaged $3.523 per gallon. However, it was still a relatively large increase from last week, when the average cost for a gallon of regular gas was $3.453.
Pennsylvania
Gas prices in the Keystone State were much higher than the national average, coming in at an average price of $3.776 per gallon on Friday. This, too, was a slight decrease from Thursday’s average price, which was $3.778 per gallon. Like many of the other states mentioned above, Friday’s gas price was higher than last week when the average prices in Pennsylvania were $3.752 per gallon.
