NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — According to Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas, if you're driving for one last summer trip, it will be a little lighter on your wallet this year than last.
"They'll be saving money at the pumps this year compared to last," Steward said. "We're at $3.06 a gallon on average in Kansas. That is about $0.50 less than where we were a year ago. Right now, it's about $0.30 less than the national average, and that puts us with the 10th cheapest average gas prices in the country. So, if you're traveling in Kansas or in our general vicinity to the south and southeast, that's where you'll find the lowest gas prices in the country."
Area county averages are as follows:
Reno: $2.85
McPherson: $3.00
Harvey: $3.05
Sedgwick: $3.18
Kingman: $3.23
Pratt: $3.14
Stafford: $3.16
Rice: $3.10
"After the holidays, depending on other factors, we could see gas prices more widespread under $3 a gallon," Steward said. "Demand typically falls in the fall and winter, as fewer people are out driving. As we've talked about many times, there are certainly other factors around the world that impact crude oil prices, and there's geopolitical issues, war situations, which we're definitely watching in the Middle East. And then, of course, we're still in hurricane season, which can impact refining operations."
To find out the latest prices, go to https://gasprices.aaa.com/.