The average price for regular gas has dropped 3 cents per gallon since Monday. Fuel prices are over 6 cents cheaper than a week ago, when regular gas was $3.308 per gallon. Gas also costs substantially less on Thursday than a month ago, when the price was $3.443 per gallon. 

The decrease in gas prices throughout the country has resulted in 13 states having an average price under $3 per gallon for regular gas. It is the first time this has happened in months. 

Gas prices remain an important issue heading into the 2024 presidential election. A recent commercial by former President Donald Trump focused on high gas prices throughout the country. With President Joe Biden deciding not to seek reelection, Vice President Kamala Harris, now the Democratic presidential nominee, has to indicate how she will address the country’s gas prices and energy costs and how both affect the economy and people’s finances.

Despite the recent trend of decreases, gas prices have fluctuated throughout the year. Nevertheless, gas prices remained higher than when Trump was in office.

Gas prices vary significantly among states. To see how expensive gas is in each state, click here. Below are the prices for a gallon of regular-grade gas in and around Washington, D.C.

Virginia

The average price for a gallon of regular gas in Virginia on Thursday is $3.089. This was quite the drop from a week ago, when it cost $3.174 per gallon. Thursday’s price in Virginia is also lower than a month ago, when regular gas was $3.347 per gallon. Moreover, Thursday’s price is much lower than a year ago, when regular gas in Virginia cost $3.566 per gallon.

Delaware

On Thursday, the average price for a gallon of regular gas in Delaware is slightly above $3 per gallon, coming in at $3.017. This is well below the national average and the cheapest price in the Delmarva peninsula. Thursday’s gas prices in the First State were also less expensive than the gas price a week ago, when it was $3.16 per gallon, and a month ago, when it cost $3.40 per gallon for regular gas. And, as with nearly every state in the country, Thursday’s price of regular gas is much lower than it was a year ago, when it cost $3.587 per gallon.

Maryland

The average price for regular gas in Maryland dropped to $3.119 per gallon on Thursday. This was a decrease from Wednesday, when the price of regular gas was $3.138 per gallon. It’s also a decrease from last week, when the average price for a gallon of regular gas was $3.237, and a month ago, when it cost $3.465 per gallon. Maryland’s drop in gas prices matches the trend of having fuel costs that are much less expensive than this time last year when it cost $3.646 for a gallon of regular gas.

Washington, D.C.

Gas prices in Washington, D.C., are much higher than in any other part of the Delmarva region. At $3.48 per gallon, the average price for a gallon of regular gas in Washington is also more expensive than the national average. Despite these high costs, prices have actually decreased in the area. Thursday’s price was lower than a week ago, when regular gas cost $3.556, and a month ago, when it was $3.69. Also, fuel prices on Thursday were substantially lower than a year ago, when Washington residents paid $3.89 per gallon for regular gas.

Mississippi

Mississippi has the least expensive gas prices in the nation, but other states could soon surpass it. On Thursday, the average price for a gallon of regular gas in Mississippi was $2.761. However, other states, such as Texas, with $2.796 per gallon, and Tennessee, with $2.787, had comparable prices.

California

California remains the state with the most expensive gas in the country on Thursday, with the average price for a gallon of regular gas at $4.7589. Unlike many other states, gas prices are increasing in the state. A week ago, a gallon of regular gas cost $4.657 in the state. It’s also more expensive than a month ago, when the price for regular gas was $4.601. A year ago, gas prices were substantially more expensive, with the average price for regular gas being $5.464 per gallon.