Staff report

Gas prices are 23 cents lower in Northeast Ohio this week at $3.612 per gallon, according to Monday’s AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.

As millions of drivers filled up and hit the road for the long Independence Day weekend, gas prices were the lowest they’ve been in several weeks. The national average is down 40 cents from a month ago at $3.79 for a gallon of regular. While that number is higher than last year, it’s a relief from this past spring, when the national average peaked at $4.56 on May 21. Crude oil prices have fallen to their lowest levels in months, dropping to the $65 per barrel range.

The average price last week in Northeast Ohio was $3.849 per gallon. A year ago, motorists paid $2.87. AAA reported that Monday’s average price for fuel in Niles was $3.402 per gallon and $3.567 in Youngstown.

The lowest gas price reported Monday in Ohio, according to Gasbuddy.com, was $2.95 per gallon at Buc-ee’s, Huber Heights. Sam’s Club in Howland was $3.04. GetGo, Sheetz, Speedway in Boardman and Canfield all reported prices of $3.22 per gallon.

According to the Energy Information Administration, gasoline demand increased last week from 8.77 million barrels per day to 9.13 million. Total domestic gasoline supply decreased from 216.3 million barrels to 214 million. Gasoline production increased last week, averaging 10 million barrels per day.

At the close of Monday’s trading session, West Texas Intermediate was $68.70 a barrel. The EIA reports that crude oil inventories decreased by 3.8 million barrels from the previous week. At 408.4 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 7% below the five-year average for this time of year.

The national average per kilowatt hour of electricity at a public EV charging station remained the same at 41 cents.

The nation’s top 10 most expensive gasoline markets are Hawaii ($5.46), California ($5.38), Washington ($5.03), Alaska ($4.76), Oregon ($4.58), Nevada ($4.56), Washington, DC ($4.06), New York ($4.06), Idaho ($4.03) and Illinois ($3.99).

The nation’s top 10 least expensive gasoline markets are Indiana ($3.05), Texas ($3.31), Oklahoma ($3.31), Tennessee ($3.37), Kentucky ($3.39), Arkansas ($3.40), Mississippi ($3.41), South Carolina ($3.43), Alabama ($3.43) and Louisiana ($3.43).

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 69 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members.