Gas prices are falling in Portland; and overall around the country. Still, gas prices are much higher than ever during the holidays. Gas prices are highest in western states, where they largely sit above $4 per gallon. At $5.16 per gallon, California has the second-highest average in the country, after Hawaii, where a gallon costs $5.20. Gas prices have dropped by 16 cents nationwide in the past week. The average price of a gallon in the U.S. to $3.61. After surveying 387 Portland-area stations, experts found that the average gas price was $4.80 per gallon.
Travelers will see that gas prices are the cheapest in the South. A gallon of gas is around $3. In Texas, a gallon costs $2.95, which makes it the state with the cheapest gas. It’s also the only state where gas is below $3. A gas-monitoring tech company reported that the average cost of gas in Portland had decreased by about 15 cents per gallon in just a week. The current average is $1 above the average of this same time in 2021, but 44.6 cents below the average one month ago.
Portland’s falling prices is reflected in the national trend. Data from over 150,000 gas stations throughout the U.S., found that the national average is also down $11.9 cents per gallon from last week. Although gas is more affordable than it has been in recent weeks, prices this holiday season is still more expensive than any other in history.
AAA projects that 777,000 Oregonians will travel over 50 miles from home for the holidays. About 54.6 million Americans traveled over 50 miles between Wednesday, November 23 and Sunday, November 27. This was the third busiest Thanksgiving holiday after 2005 and 2019, according to AAA.
Finally, forecast data states that 89% of travelers are choosing to drive this year. AAA reports that 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. is the busiest time to travel. It is recommending that travelers should hit the roads either before 8 a.m. or after 8 p.m. Gas prices are still 21 cents higher than a year ago, according to the American Automobile Association which has been collecting gas data since 2,000.
