How gas prices have changed in California in the last week

How gas prices have changed in California in the last week

As Christmas nears, drivers are seeing gasoline prices at the pump lower than they have in several years. The national average is about a nickel per gallon cheaper than the same time a year ago, and well under levels seen in the three years prior.

AAA data shows the national average has yet to fall below $3 this year, and may not be likely to do so in the final days—especially considering demand is expected to pick up over the Christmas holiday week.

"A record 119 million people are forecast to travel this holiday season. And 107 million will go by car, which is a lot of fueling up," AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross said in a statement Thursday, citing AAA's recently released year-end travel forecast.

Stacker compiled statistics on gas prices in California. Gas prices are as of December 20.

California by the numbers
- Gas current price: $4.31
- Week change: -$0.02 (-0.5%)
- Year change: -$0.27 (-5.9%)
- Historical expensive gas price: $6.44 (6/14/22)

- Diesel current price: $4.82
- Week change: -$0.01 (-0.2%)
- Year change: -$0.69 (-12.5%)
- Historical expensive diesel price: $7.01 (6/18/22)

Metros with most expensive gas in California
#1. San Luis Obispo-Atascadero-Paso Robles: $4.60
#2. Santa Cruz-Watsonville: $4.57
#3. Santa Rosa: $4.53
#4. Salinas: $4.53
#5. San Diego: $4.45
#6. San Francisco: $4.44
#7. Ventura: $4.42
#8. Napa: $4.42
#9. San Rafael: $4.39
#10. Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc: $4.38
#11. Los Angeles-Long Beach: $4.36
#12. Oakland: $4.31
#13. Orange County: $4.29
#14. San Bernardino: $4.28
#15. Bakersfield: $4.27
#16. San Jose: $4.26
#17. Riverside: $4.25
#18. El Centro: $4.25
#19. Madera-Chowchilla: $4.23
#20. Sacramento: $4.22
#21. Vallejo-Fairfield: $4.22
#22. Fresno: $4.22
#23. Visalia-Tulare-Porterville: $4.21
#24. Merced: $4.17
#25. Yolo: $4.12
#26. Hanford-Corcoran: $4.11
#27. Stockton-Lodi: $4.09
#28. Chico-Paradise: $4.09
#29. Yuba City: $4.05
#30. Modesto: $4.03
#31. Redding: $3.89

States with the most expensive gas
#1. Hawaii: $4.54
#2. California: $4.31
#3. Washington: $3.91

States with the least expensive gas
#1. Oklahoma: $2.58
#2. Mississippi: $2.60
#3. Arkansas: $2.66

This story features writing by Dom DiFurio and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.

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