BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Kern County residents are getting a bit of a break at the pump as gas prices go down.
According to GasBuddy, the price per gallon went down 5.3 to an average of $4.23. That is based on a survey of 300 stations in Bakersfield. That means the price of gas in Bakersfield is 1.3 cents per gallon lower than a month ago. However, that means it is still $1.19 a gallon more than what it was a year ago.
Gas in Los Angeles is averaging $4.35 per gallon, with Santa Barbara coming in just below Bakersfield at $4.15.
To put it in perspective, 10 years ago the price of gas $3.81 a gallon in Bakersfield. The cheapest gas was in the last 10 years was in 2016 when gas was pumping at $2.69 a gallon.
The cheapest gas in Bakersfield is $3.67 per gallon whole the most expensive is a $4.89 per gallon.
On the flip side, the price of gas has gone up nationwide. The national average for the price of gas went up .6 cents per gallon in the last week. It is now averaging $3.18 a gallon.
That's up 3.5 cents over last month and $1.02 over last year.
"Motorists have seen average gas prices edge slightly higher over the last week, even as the price of oil saw selling pressure. This leads me to believe that the tide may soon turn on gas prices, so long as we don't see hurricanes target the country. In addition, GasBuddy data showed a decline in gasoline demand last week as we inch towards the end of the summer driving season, a time when demand softens," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. "With the factors that drive prices higher now softening, I'm hopeful that in the next few weeks, we'll start to see average gas prices declining. However, motorists shouldn't get too excited yet - larger declines will likely not come until late September and October, as we transition back to cheaper winter gasoline."
