Prices at the pump were relatively flat week over week for the week ending Dec. 9, with average prices in the U.S. for regular gasoline standing at $3.27 per gallon and diesel prices standing once more at $3.88. The average price paid by consumers for regular gas according to the Energy Information Administration is shown in the chart below:
Source: Energy Information Administration.
Prices remain below where they stood at this time last year when the average price per gallon stood at $3.35 a gallon, a difference of approximately 2.5%, or $0.08. Last week the yearly difference stood at roughly $0.12 per gallon.
On a regional basis, the Rocky Mountain area continued to see its prices fall precipitously; the region now has the lowest prices per gallon in the country. Prices there fell by $0.04 per gallon relative to last week, and are down by $0.25 relative to last year:
Source: Energy Information Administration. Figures are rounded. Change is from 12/2/13 to 12/9/13.
As with last week, there were an equal number of regions that saw their prices rise and fall -- yet no region saw prices rise by more than $0.01. Since the first week of September, prices have fallen on average by $0.34 per gallon, with the biggest declines coming in the Midwest (down $0.50) and Rocky Mountain (down $0.55) regions.
Like regular gasoline prices, diesel fuel was relatively flat when comparing the previous week to the most recent week:
Source: Energy Information Administration.
Relative to last year, diesel prices are down from $3.99, a difference of approximately 3%.
