Drivers across west and south-central Kentucky are paying a little less at the pump this week.
According to AAA East Central, the average price for regular gasoline in the West Central Kentucky region is $2.69 per gallon—down nine cents from last week and nearly unchanged from this time last year.
Local averages show prices ranging from $2.53 in Elizabethtown to $2.85 in Louisville. Paducah drivers are paying about $2.76 per gallon, while Owensboro is averaging $2.61 and Bowling Green sits at $2.68.
The statewide average is currently $2.81, placing Kentucky among the 10 least expensive markets in the country. By comparison, California tops the list with an average of $4.64 per gallon.
Gas prices typically ease in the fall as demand tapers off and retailers switch to winter-blend gasoline, which is cheaper to produce. The Environmental Protection Agency allows the change beginning September 16th each year. This shift, combined with steadier refinery operations and fewer supply disruptions, has helped push prices lower across much of the country.
The national average is now $3.13 per gallon, down two cents from last week. Analysts caution, however, that the Atlantic hurricane season—still active through November—could affect refinery output if storms move into the Gulf of Mexico.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports a slight increase in gasoline demand last week, rising from 8.81 to 8.95 million barrels per day. Meanwhile, domestic supply slipped by about one million barrels to 216.6 million. Crude oil inventories also dipped, with West Texas Intermediate closing at just under $65 a barrel.
On the electric vehicle front, the national average cost for public charging remained steady at 36 cents per kilowatt hour. Rates vary widely by state, with Kentucky drivers generally paying less than motorists in states such as Alaska, Hawaii, or West Virginia.
For perspective, west Kentucky’s current average of $2.69 is well below the region’s record-high of $4.74, set in June 2022.
With steady supplies and cooler seasonal demand, drivers across the region should continue to see some relief at the pump heading into October.
