GasBuddy has predicted the lowest Fourth of July weekend gas prices since 2021, with the national average expected to hover around $3.49 per gallon.
The projected national average price of gas on July 4 would be just a penny lower than it was a year ago ($3.50) and would be over $1.30 below what motorists paid over the holiday in 2022, when the economy became superheated, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine pushed oil to triple-digits, GasBuddy noted.
While gasoline prices have bounced back slightly after falling as low as $3.39 per gallon in early June, some states are still seeing significantly cheaper July 4 gas prices than last year. The top 10 largest changes from a year ago are all declines, led by average gas prices now being 71 cents per gallon lower in Washington than a year ago.
Other states seeing gas price declines include: Oregon (-60 cents), Utah (-44 cents), Colorado (-42 cents), Alaska (-42 cents), Wyoming (-41 cents), Idaho (-37 cents), Arizona (-31 cents), Montana (-28 cents) and South Dakota (-27 cents).
However, some have seen prices jump compared to a year ago: Ohio (+23 cents), Indiana (+22 cents), Michigan (+14 cents), Georgia (+14 cents) and Delaware (+10 cents).
“For those hitting the road to celebrate Independence Day, gas prices have seen modest recent fluctuations, but most states are seeing prices near or even well below where they were a year ago,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “While the first half of the summer has been relatively smooth sailing, the road ahead may be bumpy. Activity in the tropics has increased, and projections remain for a very busy hurricane season. Even after the holiday fireworks are over, we’ll be watching for any potential fireworks at the pump that could be brought on by hurricanes disrupting refineries.”
According to GasBuddy’s annual summer travel survey, 45% of Americans plan to head out on the road over Independence Day weekend.
GasBuddy is a leading fuel savings platform providing North American drivers with ways to save money on gas. GasBuddy has delivered more than $3.5 billion in cumulative savings to its users through providing real-time gas price information at more than 150,000 stations, offering cash back rewards on purchases with brand partners and through the Pay with GasBuddy payments card.
Acquired by PDI Technologies in 2021, the GasBuddy app has been downloaded more than 100 million times.
