HUTCHINSON, Kan. – After hitting a high of $2.45 for regular unleaded in recent weeks, the price has come down again, dropping to $2.19 per gallon.
That puts the price below the state average of $2.26. That state average is now nearly nine cents lower than a week ago, but over seven cents above the price a month ago. That’s quite a discount if you compare the price today from what we were paying a year ago, over 68 cents more, or 23 percent. Kansas now sits in the middle of all the state averages at 25th.
We also remain behind two neighboring states, but not by much. Missouri is still the lowest in the area where the average price is $2.11. Oklahoma is next at an average price of $2.22.
The average price in Colorado is behind Kansas, where the average price is $2.30. Of the surrounding states, Nebraska is the most expensive with an average price of $2.47 per gallon.
Ample domestic supply has kept a ceiling on pump prices. This factor has also been a contributing factor to prices moving lower over the past several days. “Barring any unanticipated disruptions in supply, and/or spikes in the price of crude oil, the national average could fall below the $2.00 per gallon threshold for the first time since 2009 before the end of year,” Jim Hanni, AAA Kansas spokesman, said.
We’ll continue to watch gas prices and give you updates on any jumps, higher or lower.