LA Gas Hits $5.96 as Prices Drop for 31st Day

The average price for a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County fell by 1.8 cents on Tuesday to reach $5.963.

This marks the 31st consecutive daily decrease in the last 33 days. The price is currently 11 cents lower than it was one week ago and 46.1 cents lower than it was one month ago. Drivers in the county are still paying $1.195 more per gallon than they did one year ago, according to data from the AAA and the Oil Price Information Service.

Prices in Orange County also dropped, falling 1.4 cents to an average of $5.851. That is the 32nd straight day of decline in that area. The Orange County average is now 53.4 cents below where it stood a month ago, although it remains $1.122 higher than a year prior.

The sustained rise in costs began on Feb. 28 when the joint U.S. and Israel war against Iran started. That conflict sent oil prices higher and accelerated increases at the pump. Since that date, the average price in Los Angeles County has climbed by $1.269. In Orange County, the increase since the war began is $1.215.

Both counties saw prices approach their record highs set on Oct. 5, 2022, before starting to fall. The downturn began after Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Sept. 28 that cheaper winter-blend gasoline would be sold immediately. This move shifted the sale date from the customary Nov. 1.

Nationally, the average gas price dropped for the 10th straight day. The national average fell 2 cents to $4.149 on Tuesday. It is now 23.1 cents less than a month ago but $1.113 more than a year ago. The national price has risen $1.167 since the attack on Iran.