Gas Prices On The Rise
As we head into the Independence Day holiday, gas prices are heading upward. Over the last week, the average price for gas in Tennessee rose a full 10 cents. The average price for gas is $3.10 a gallon as of Monday. That is two cents higher than a year ago.
Locally, East Tennessee continues to have some of the lowest prices in the state. Cocke County right now has an average price of $3.01, but most stations at the 435 exit remain below $3 a gallon. Claiborne County has the lowest price in East Tennessee at $2.96, which is also the lowest average price in the state. Surrounding counties, Greene is at $2.99; Jefferson is right at $3.00 a gallon. Hamblen County is $3.06 and Sevier County is $3.07.
If you will be traveling for the holiday, drive south as that’s where you’ll find the cheapest gas prices. Mississippi has the lowest prices in the nation with an average of $2.93. If you head north, you’ll pay more. Pennsylvania is at $3.66 while Michigan is at $3.66 and Illinois has some of the highest prices in the nation at $3.84. If you head to the west coast, you’ll be lucky to find gas less than $4 a gallon. California still has the highest prices in the nation with an average of $4.79. The national average for gas as of Monday was $3.49.