By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
Get our newsletter
ROCKFORD — Gas prices across the city fell an average of nearly 10 cents per gallon in the past week. It’s the second straight week of declines following three weeks of rising prices.
The average cost of a gallon of gas in the city is $4.14 today, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 139 stations in Rockford. That means prices are up about 28 cents per gallon in the past month and stand nearly 68 cents per gallon higher than this time a year ago.
A GasBuddy analyst credits seasonal declines in demand for the falling prices.
More news: West State Street in Rockford reopens after $6.5M reconstruction
Prices in the city vary depending on where you buy. There’s an 80-cent per gallon difference between the cheapest station in town and the most expensive. The cheapest station in Rockford was priced at $3.59 per gallon on Sunday and the most expensive was $4.39, according to GasBuddy.
The national average cost of gasoline also fell in the past week by about 9 cents per gallon. It’s average stands at $3.77 per gallon today.
“Average gas prices have declined for the second straight week with significant declines in the West and Great Lakes having an oversized effect on the drop in the national average,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.
More news: Bill aims to fix issue that left families of first responders waiting for death and burial benefits
The national average is up 10 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 41 cents per gallon higher than a year ago, according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 150,000 gas stations across the country.
“Motorists are reminded that the decline in gasoline prices is seasonal and should continue into the fall, and is unrelated to the coming election,” De Haan said. “Seasonality is king in driving prices, not the desires or hopes of politicians.”
The national average price of diesel, meanwhile, has risen 4 cents per gallon in the last week and stands at $5.30 per gallon.
“While gasoline prices have seen a large drop, diesel prices have been somewhat mixed, with prices heading higher in the Northeast as inventories drop to extremely tight levels ahead of the heating oil season,” De Haan said.
Oct. 24 gas prices | 10-year history
Year | Rockford average per gallon | national average
2021 | $3.47 | $3.36
2020 | $2.20 | $2.15
2019 | $2.54 | $2.61
2018 | $2.85 | $2.84
2017 | $2.46 | $2.45
2016 | $2.14 | $2.22
2015 | $2.33 | $2.20
2014 | $3.07 | $3.06
2013 | $3.31 | $3.31
2012 | $3.51 | $3.62
Source: GasBuddy
This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas.