Menu More MORE
AAA
Roadside... Roadside Assistance

Gas Prices Drop 25 Cents, But Still Set December Record

(LOS ANGELES, Dec. 13, 2011) —Gas prices across Southern California dropped over the past month, but not enough to prevent them from setting a new record as the highest prices ever paid in December, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California’s monthly Fuel Gauge Report.

The Southern California December average price for regular unleaded self-serve gasoline is $3.62, which is 25.3 cents lower than the November average of $3.873 and 35.7 cents higher than last year’s December Fuel Gauge price of $3.263. The previous record Southern California December monthly price was $3.314, set in 2007.

The statewide average price of $3.585 is 25.7 cents lower than the November average of $3.842 and 32.1 cents higher than last year’s December Fuel Gauge statewide price average of $3.264. Among surveyed cities statewide, Ukiah has the lowest price average at $3.374 and Blythe has the highest average at $3.914. In Southern California, the lowest price average can be found in La Habra at $3.505.
 
Nationally, the December average price of $3.269 is 14.5 cents lower than the November average of $3.414. Hawaii continues to have the highest average price among U.S. states at $4.06. Missouri has the lowest state average price at $3.015.  

“The Southern California average Fuel Gauge price for 2011 is $3.83 a gallon for regular unleaded, which is about 30 cents higher than the previous record annual average in 2008,” said Auto Club spokesperson Jeffrey Spring. “Southern Californians who drive 12,000 miles a year in a vehicle getting 20 miles to the gallon will have spent nearly $2,300 on gasoline this year -- $280 more than they did in 2008.”
 
Note: Today will be the last monthly Fuel Gauge Report from the Auto Club. Reporters and consumers can continue to find daily, weekly and monthly updated prices for larger geographic areas on FuelGaugeReport.aaa.com. The Auto Club will continue to publish its weekly Weekend Gas Watch each Thursday.

In Southern California, the averages for regular and premium grades of gasoline are listed below:
 
County/City
Unl
12/13
Unl
11/8
Pre
12/13
Pre
11/8
Imperial County
 
 
 
 
El Centro
3.746
3.970
3.919
4.246
 
 
 
 
 
Inyo County
 
 
 
 
Bishop
3.724
3.932
3.933
4.125
 
 
 
 
 
Kern County
 
 
 
 
Bakersfield
3.603
3.840
3.781
4.009
Ridgecrest
3.822
3.930
3.984
4.119
 
 
 
 
 
Los Angeles County
 
 
 
 
Alhambra
3.589
3.859
3.782
4.063
Arcadia
3.603
3.871
3.808
4.062
Burbank
3.591
3.878
3.792
4.072
Culver City
3.617
3.867
3.807
4.049
Glendale
3.647
3.917
3.843
4.130
Glendora
3.528
3.811
3.722
4.020
Inglewood
3.556
3.847
3.764
4.051
Lancaster
3.599
3.843
3.770
4.019
Long Beach
3.533
3.863
3.729
4.068
Los Angeles
3.651
3.908
3.859
4.119
Manhattan Beach
3.776
3.916
3.911
4.059
Montebello
3.635
3.927
3.843
4.093
Santa Clarita
3.638
3.868
3.834
4.075
Santa Monica
3.722
3.908
3.938
4.120
Van Nuys
3.547
3.829
3.736
4.008
Whittier
3.516
3.816
3.701
4.010
Woodland Hills
3.609
3.893
3.795
4.098
 
 
 
 
 
Orange County
 
 
 
 
Anaheim
3.548
3.821
3.746
4.022
Fullerton
3.531
3.808
3.728
4.009
Huntington Beach
3.545
3.838
3.738
4.034
La Habra
3.505
3.815
3.684
3.998
Laguna Beach
3.795
3.944
4.029
4.269
Newport Beach
3.615
3.892
3.822
4.093
San Clemente
3.636
3.918
3.785
4.111
Tustin
3.597
3.865
3.792
4.049
 
 
 
 
 
Riverside County
 
 
 
 
Blythe
3.914
3.996
4.024
4.181
Hemet
3.553
3.787
3.767
3.992
Palm Springs
3.601
3.887
3.748
4.087
Riverside
3.563
3.839
3.766
4.034
 
 
 
 
 
San Bernardino County
 
 
 
 
Redlands
3.563
3.840
3.759
4.042
San Bernardino
3.552
3.834
3.757
4.029
Victorville
3.541
3.826
3.732
3.999
 
 
 
 
 
San Diego County
 
 
 
 
Chula Vista
3.540
3.811
3.720
4.018
Del Mar
3.752
3.968
3.981
4.187
Escondido
3.524
3.812
3.763
4.033
Oceanside
3.556
3.838
3.723
4.021
San Diego
3.600
3.867
3.792
4.073
 
 
 
 
 
San Luis Obispo County
 
 
 
 
San Luis Obispo
3.710
3.942
3.859
4.141
 
 
 
 
 
Santa Barbara County
 
 
 
 
Lompoc
3.589
3.858
3.822
4.089
Santa Barbara
3.658
3.894
3.855
4.108
Santa Maria
3.578
3.901
3.791
4.100
 
 
 
 
 
Tulare County
 
 
 
 
Porterville
3.606
3.899
3.757
4.065
Visalia
3.723
3.865
3.902
4.032
 
 
 
 
 
Ventura County
 
 
 
 
Ventura
3.618
3.854
3.822
4.061
 
Unl
12/13
Unl
11/8
Pre
12/13
Pre
11/8
Southern CA average
3.62
3.873
3.811
4.073

Media Contacts

Marie Montgomery
(714) 420-0477 (cell)
Montgomery.Marie@aaa-calif.com
CST 1016202-80 Copyright © Automobile Club of Southern California. All Rights Reserved.
The Automobile Club of Southern California is a member club affiliated with the American Automobile Association (AAA) national federation and serves members in the following California counties: Inyo, Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare, and Ventura.