Southern California Gas Prices Tumble as Other Regions Climb Again
LOS ANGELES--Aug. 14, 2001--Southern California and statewide gasoline prices posted double-digit decreases for the second straight month, while Midwestern states saw prices begin climbing again in response to increased demand, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's monthly Fuel Gauge report.The Southern California average price for regular unleaded gas is $1.62, down 22 cents from July and 39 cents in the last two months. Statewide, the average gas price is slightly higher at $1.63. Even with the recent dramatic drops, California is the third most expensive state to buy gasoline, behind Alaska and Hawaii.
"California's gas prices lagged behind other states in reductions from record highs set in May and June across the country," said Steve Mazor, the Auto Club's principal automotive engineer. "Increased demand and crude oil costs have started to raise prices in other regions, indicating that Southern California may be nearing the end of this gas price decline."
The lowest California gas prices can be found in Fresno, where prices dropped 35 cents in the last month to an average of $1.25 a gallon. The highest prices statewide are in San Francisco, with an average price of $1.86. Southern California's lowest prices can be found in Victorville, where average prices are $1.41 a gallon. In Las Vegas, prices are averaging $1.39 a gallon.
Nationally, the average price for regular unleaded is hovering just under $1.40 and has not been that low since February 2000.
In Southern California, the averages for regular and premium grades of gasoline are listed below:
Unl Pre
Imperial County
EL CENTRO 1.758 1.939
Inyo County
BISHOP 1.597 1.724
Kern County
BAKERSFIELD 1.433 1.612
Los Angeles County
ALHAMBRA 1.577 1.745
ARCADIA 1.625 1.614
BURBANK 1.602 1.697
CULVER CITY 1.694 1.599
GLENDALE 1.588 1.740
GLENDORA 1.603 1.849
INGLEWOOD 1.607 1.759
LANCASTER 1.455 1.639
LONG BEACH 1.615 1.719
LOS ANGELES 1.625 1.812
MANHATTAN BEACH 1.639 1.704
MONTEBELLO 1.640 1.826
SANTA CLARITA 1.429 1.569
SANTA MONICA 1.629 1.804
VAN NUYS 1.547 1.629
WHITTIER 1.623 1.822
WOODLAND HILLS 1.591 1.789
Orange County
ANAHEIM 1.586 1.793
FULLERTON 1.742 1.864
HUNTINGTON BEACH 1.586 1.775
LA HABRA 1.529 1.709
LAGUNA BEACH 1.789 1.962
NEWPORT BEACH 1.702 1.899
SAN CLEMENTE 1.725 1.901
Riverside County
BLYTHE 1.749 1.949
HEMET 1.564 1.758
PALM SPRINGS 1.606 1.814
RIVERSIDE 1.558 1.643
San Bernardino County
REDLANDS 1.629 1.824
SAN BERNARDINO 1.578 1.747
VICTORVILLE 1.413 1.579
San Diego County
CHULA VISTA 1.701 1.929
DEL MAR 1.727 1.939
ESCONDIDO 1.682 1.815
OCEANSIDE 1.723 2.049
SAN DIEGO 1.724 1.912
San Luis Obispo County
SAN LUIS OBISPO 1.683 1.824
Santa Barbara County
LOMPOC 1.767 1.987
SANTA BARBARA 1.669 1.969
SANTA MARIA 1.690 1.884
Tulare County
PORTERVILLE 1.508 1.699
VISALIA 1.306 1.530
Ventura County
VENTURA 1.608 1.823
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
AVERAGE
1.618 1.786