All but one U.S. region is averaging more than $3 per gallon for diesel this week, according to data tracked by the Energy Information Administration (EIA). As the West Coast tops $3.60 per gallon for diesel, most of the nation's retail gasoline prices have held steady below $3 per gallon – except out West.
The national average for diesel is up 1.4 cents to $3.171 per gallon compared to last week, the agency reported on Monday, May 7. That is 60.6 cents more per gallon than this week in 2017.
Week-over-week average diesel prices were up in every region of the U.S. this week – and above $3 per gallon everywhere but the Gulf Coast:
(Red signifies a price increase, green signifies a price decrease)
- East Coast: $3.178 (up 1.6¢)
- New England: $3.215 (up 1.2¢)
- Central Atlantic: $3.336 (up 1.5¢)
- Lower Atlantic: $3.061 (up 1.9¢)
- Midwest: $3.092 (up 0.9¢)
- Gulf Coast: $2.955 (up 0.9¢)
- Rocky Mountain: $3.249 (up 3.4¢)
- West Coast: $3.662 (up 2.2¢)
- West Coast less California: $3.409 (up 1.5¢)
- California: $3.863 (up 2.9¢)
The largest year-over-year average increases in diesel fuel per gallon is along the West Coast – mostly thanks to California. Diesel out West ($3.66) is up $0.82 compared to this week in 2017. It is nearly $0.94 higher in California, compared to the rest of the West Coast, which is up $0.66 year-over-year. Every other region's year-over-year increase is less than the national per-gallon diesel increase of $0.61.
The national average for gasoline barely budged this past week, falling just 1/10 of a cent to $2.845 per gallon, according to EIA. That price is 47.3 cents more than the per gallon price a year ago.
Here's a look at gasoline prices per gallon by region and how they changed this week:
(Red signifies a price increase, green signifies a price decrease)
- East Coast: $2.792 (up 0.3¢)
- New England: $2.836 (up 2.4¢)
- Central Atlantic: $2.917 (up 0.7¢)
- Lower Atlantic: $2.685 (down 0.7¢)
- Midwest: $2.697 (down 2.7¢)
- Gulf Coast: $2.589 (no change)
- Rocky Mountain: $2.821 (up 1.8¢)
- West Coast: $3.464 (up 3.2¢)
- West Coast less California: $3.173 (up 4.5¢)
- California: $3.632 (up 2.3¢)
For this summer's driving season (April-September), EIA forecasts U.S. regular gasoline retail prices to average $2.74/gallon (gal), up from an average of $2.41/gallon last summer. The higher forecast gasoline prices are primarily the result of higher forecast crude oil prices. For all of 2018, EIA expects U.S. regular gasoline retail prices to average $2.64/gal and gasoline retail prices for all grades to average $2.76/gal, which would result in the average U.S. household spending about $190 (9%) more on motor fuel in 2018 compared with 2017.
