Rockford gas prices dip below $5 per gallon threshold for first time in 6 weeks

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — The average cost of a gallon of gas in the city has fallen below the $5 threshold to start the week for the first time since May 31.

Rockford gasoline prices fell more than 18 cents per gallon over the past week to $4.94 today, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 139 stations here. Prices haven’t been below that mark to start the week since the average stood at $4.92 on May 31.

Gasoline prices are nearly 33 cents per gallon lower than this time last month, but stand $1.78 higher than a year ago, according to GasBuddy.

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Prices, however, have a wide range in the city with a difference of 80 cents per gallon between the cheapest and most expensive stations. According to GasBuddy, the cheapest station in Rockford was priced at $4.59 per gallon Sunday while the most expensive was $5.39. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $4.09 and the highest was $6.79.

Prices in Rockford remain higher than the national average, which also fell over the past week. The national average price of gasoline fell nearly 13 cents per gallon to $4.66 today, according to GasBuddy.

“The national average has declined for 27 days straight, or four weeks, the longest decline in average gas prices since the pandemic started in 2020,” Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said in a news release. “Average gas prices are down nearly 40 cents, with Americans shelling out $140 million less on gasoline every day than they did a month ago.”

The national average is down about 34 cents per gallon from a month ago, but the price is $1.54 per gallon higher than a year ago, according to GasBuddy data from more than 150,000 gas stations across the country.

“We may see the trend last a fifth week, as long as oil prices remain cooperative and don’t surge beyond $105 per barrel, and as long as refinery production of gasoline remains strong. But we’re not completely out of the woods yet – we could also see a sharp reversal in the decline,” DeHaan said. “There remains risk of a spike in prices that could send us to new record levels in August, should any disruptions occur. It could be a wild ride, but for now, the plummet at the pump shall continue.”

July 11 gas prices | 10-year history

Year | Rockford average per gallon | national average

2021 | $3.16 | $3.13
2020 | $2.31 | $2.19
2019 | $2.93 | $2.77
2018 | $2.81 | $2.89
2017 | $2.17 | $2.25
2016 |$2.29 | $2.22
2015 | $2.74 | $2.76
2014 | $3.54 | $3.63
2013 | $3.60 | $3.52
2012 | $3.51 | $3.38

Source: GasBuddy

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on Twitter at @KevinMHaas.