Pain at the Pump: Gas Prices On The Rise in Western Kentucky

Last week, the remnants of Hurricane Beryl plowed through western Kentucky and brought torrential downpours and tornado warnings to the area.

Before it got to Kentucky, Beryl tore through the coast of Texas. That, combined with an incredibly busy 4th of July travel season and the fact that oil prices are still hovering over $80 per barrel, lead to a slight increase in the price of gas in our area. I suppose it's safe to say we're still seeing some of the 'remnants' of Hurricane Beryl. We felt his winds and rains as they passed through. We're still feeling him a bit at the pump.

HOW MUCH ARE KENTUCKIANS PAYING?

AAA reports that gas prices here in western Kentucky are up slightly this week. The average rose a penny and the current average per gallon, according to AAA East Central's Gas Price Report, sits at $3.264 per gallon. Interestingly, that's almost exactly what the cost was- per gallon- one year ago.  On July 17th, 2023, the average cost per gallon was $3.263. While travel and weather can certainly have an impact on prices, they've stayed remarkably consistent.

WHERE IS THE GAS THE CHEAPEST?

Of course, those prices vary from city to city. Here's a look at average prices of unleaded self-service gasoline in select western Kentucky cities.

$3.202        Bowling Green
$3.294        Elizabethtown
$3.587        Louisville
$3.013        Owensboro
$3.224        Paducah

THE NATIONAL AVERAGE PER GALLON OF GAS

Nationally, a gallon of gas rose two cents. That national average currently sits at $3.52 per gallon. According to AAA, "Today's national average is seven cents more than a month ago, but four cents less than a year ago."

If you'd like additional information about current gas prices nationwide, statewide, and countywide, you can visit the website gasprices.aaa.com.

AAA East Central is a not-for-profit association with 70 local offices in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia serving 2.7 million members.