California Gas Prices Fall, But Not as Far as Other States
LOS ANGELES--July 17, 2001--In the face of rising gasoline inventories and reduced demand, average gas prices for Southern California have dropped by nearly 17 cents per gallon during the past month, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's monthly Fuel Gauge report.The Southern California average price for regular unleaded fuel is $1.84, down 17 cents from the June average of $2.01. However, gas prices in California have not dropped as much as other states. For example, average prices for regular gas in Missouri have dropped more than 40 cents per gallon from its May high of $1.65 and Illinois has seen a one-month drop of nearly 38 cents per gallon to an average of $1.33.
The California state average is $1.83, down 17 cents compared with last month's average at $2 per gallon. The lowest average price in the Southern California area is Visalia, where regular gas can be purchased for $1.60 per gallon.
The average in San Francisco is down 12 cents to $2.05, making it the highest priced gasoline in the state. Las Vegas is down 21 cents to $1.58 per gallon during the same time period.
Nationally, the average for regular unleaded fell more than 20 cents to $1.426. The lowest statewide average price in the nation is in Oklahoma, where gasoline averages $1.23 per gallon.
"Industry analysts say that a softened economy and previous higher gas prices have reduced demand in the face of increasing fuel inventories. Everything indicates that retail prices in California should be moving lower still," said Jeffrey Spring, Auto Club spokesman.
"Since we saw the same level of price increases experienced by other states, we would hope that Californians will see the same level of price decreases experienced by motorists in other states."
In Southern California, the averages for regular and premium grades of gasoline are listed below:
County/City Unl Pre Imperial County El Centro 1.898 2.199 Inyo County Bishop 1.739 1.901 Kern County Bakersfield 1.658 1.856 Ridgecrest 1.739 1.897 Los Angeles County Alhambra 1.822 2.059 Arcadia 1.862 1.974 Burbank 1.826 2.174 Culver City 1.931 1.942 Glendale 1.822 2.014 Glendora 1.816 1.952 Inglewood 1.860 2.039 Lancaster 1.730 1.854 Long Beach 1.857 2.035 Los Angeles 1.873 2.038 Manhattan Beach 1.864 1.999 Montebello 1.897 2.039 Santa Clarita 1.763 1.899 Santa Monica 1.883 2.112 Van Nuys 1.815 1.989 Whittier 1.854 2.029 Woodland Hills 1.840 2.049 Orange County Anaheim 1.852 2.017 Fullerton 1.820 2.148 Huntington Beach 1.854 2.051 La Habra 1.782 1.926 Laguna Beach 2.000 2.016 Newport Beach 1.951 2.119 San Clemente 2.020 2.189 Tustin 1.900 2.039 Riverside County Blythe 1.890 1.999 Hemet 1.815 1.912 Palm Springs 1.882 1.999 Riverside 1.811 1.942 San Bernardino County Redlands 1.871 2.099 San Bernardino 1.835 2.029 Victorville 1.658 1.814 San Diego County Chula Vista 1.902 2.099 Del Mar 1.900 2.047 Escondido 1.897 2.003 Oceanside 1.920 2.186 San Diego 1.915 2.090 San Luis Obispo County San Luis Obispo 1.886 2.059 Santa Barbara County Lompoc 1.960 2.179 Santa Barbara 1.870 1.999 Santa Maria 1.871 2.119 Tulare County Porterville 1.643 1.826 Visalia 1.600 1.749 Ventura County Ventura 1.901 2.044 So. Calif. Avg. 1.845 2.016
