LA Auto Club: Monthly Average Gas Price Drops 20.3 Cents
LOS ANGELES--Jan. 18, 2005--Southern California's average price for regular gasoline has dropped more than 20 cents during the past month and 38 cents from the November peak, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California monthly Fuel Gauge Report.Although prices continue downward, they are still 25 cents higher than in January 2004.
The Southern California January average price for regular self-serve unleaded gasoline is $1.989, which compares to a Dec. 14, 2004 average of $2.192 and a year-ago average of $1.737. Statewide, the average price for January is $1.940, down from $2.161 in December.
"Slower demand and smooth-running California refineries have contributed to lower gas prices this past month," said Auto Club spokeswoman Carol Thorp. "However, prices remain higher than last year because crude oil costs have averaged about $10 per barrel more than last January. Many refineries are about to begin regularly scheduled maintenance to produce summer-grade gasoline, and the reduced production may slow or reverse the recent declines."
The lowest average price in Southern California is in Escondido, where regular is selling for $1.890. Blythe reported the state's highest average price at $2.273. Marysville in Northern California had the lowest price in the state at $1.790. Nationally, the average price is $1.812, down from $1.84 in December.
In Southern California, the averages for regular and premium grades of gasoline are listed below:
County/City Unl 1-18 Unl 12-14-04 Pre 1-18 Pre 12-14-04 Imperial County El Centro 2.065 2.269 2.259 2.530 Inyo County Bishop 2.099 n/a 2.242 n/a Kern County Bakersfield 1.922 2.116 2.115 2.255 Ridgecrest 1.977 2.172 2.232 2.372 Los Angeles County Alhambra 1.924 2.115 2.112 2.299 Arcadia 1.974 2.159 2.199 2.386 Burbank 1.983 2.177 2.135 2.319 Culver City 2.062 2.344 2.457 2.644 Glendale 2.014 2.195 2.174 2.409 Glendora 1.929 2.075 2.139 2.319 Inglewood 1.940 2.137 2.149 2.372 Lancaster 1.946 2.127 2.149 2.359 Long Beach 1.940 2.157 2.154 2.378 Los Angeles 1.995 2.203 2.183 2.411 Manhattan Beach 2.017 2.182 2.059 2.239 Montebello 1.991 2.161 2.199 2.359 Santa Clarita 1.992 2.194 2.168 2.355 Santa Monica 2.044 2.279 2.309 2.587 Van Nuys 1.918 2.099 2.086 2.316 Whittier 1.928 2.163 2.126 2.247 Woodland Hills 1.972 2.178 2.179 2.349 Orange County Anaheim 1.912 2.090 2.085 2.235 Fullerton 1.903 2.101 2.089 2.312 Huntington Beach 1.922 2.092 2.112 2.319 La Habra 1.883 2.099 2.099 2.312 Laguna Beach 1.939 2.251 2.239 2.309 Newport Beach 2.034 2.261 2.249 2.506 San Clemente 1.987 2.197 2.234 2.369 Tustin 1.993 2.195 2.259 2.394 Riverside County Blythe 2.273 2.453 2.539 2.509 Hemet 1.957 2.179 2.216 2.424 Palm Springs 2.082 2.366 2.216 2.424 Riverside 1.940 2.149 2.113 2.321 San Bernardino County Redlands 1.907 2.142 2.079 2.309 San Bernardino 1.930 2.158 2.159 2.349 Victorville 2.008 2.191 2.279 2.386 San Diego County Chula Vista 1.991 2.191 2.231 2.454 Del Mar 1.994 2.179 2.136 2.359 Escondido 1.890 2.068 2.139 2.319 Oceanside 2.010 2.192 2.211 2.450 San Diego 2.020 2.227 2.278 2.466 San Luis Obispo County San Luis Obispo 2.004 2.259 2.279 2.342 Santa Barbara County Lompoc 2.143 2.336 2.399 2.545 Santa Barbara 2.114 2.306 2.309 2.499 Santa Maria 2.094 2.301 2.219 2.526 Tulare County Porterville 1.995 2.203 2.134 2.342 Visalia 1.929 2.189 2.124 2.332 Ventura County Ventura 2.001 2.134 2.209 2.359 So. Calif. Avg. 1.989 2.192 2.197 2.382
The Auto Club's Fuel Gauge Report is based on data gathered from monitoring fuel transactions at 2,800 Southern California gas stations. Oil Price Information Service -- the nation's most comprehensive source of petroleum pricing information, provides the data.
