The latest EIA weekly figure available in this October 18 review puts U.S. regular gasoline at $4.331 a gallon for October 12. That is 2.3 cents below the previous week’s $4.354. The release is a dated national survey, not a live quote for your nearest station.
The regional spread is considerable: EIA reports $3.851 on the Gulf Coast and $5.639 on the West Coast for the same week. A national decline therefore does not mean every local driver saw a lower price.
Why pump prices differ
EIA identifies crude oil, refining, distribution, marketing and taxes as the main parts of the retail price. Its recent analysis also points to tight global gasoline supplies and disrupted refining activity as pressures on prices. These explain broad market conditions; they do not predict the next price change at a particular station.
Make the savings calculation practical
A station charging 10 cents less saves $1.20 on a 12-gallon purchase. Consider the extra driving and your time before making a special trip. Combining errands can be more useful than repeatedly hunting for a small price difference.
Follow the fuel grade in your vehicle’s manual, keep up with maintenance and compare prices along routes you already travel. EIA’s official update is linked below so you can check the survey date before using a figure in your own weekly budget.
