Inland Empire Gas Prices Just Shy of $5 Per Gallon

Inland Empire gas prices spike in past week.

Average gasoline prices in the Inland Empire, specifically Riverside, have risen 13.4 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $4.93/g today, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 481 stations in Riverside. Prices in Riverside are 21.1 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 55.7 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has jumped 15.5 cents in the last week and stands at $3.99 per gallon.

According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Riverside was priced at $4.29/g yesterday while the most expensive was $5.69/g, a difference of $1.40/g. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $0.49/g while the highest was $7.48/g, a difference of $6.99/g.

The national average price of gasoline has risen 16.5 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.72/g today. The national average is up 21.4 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 45.6 cents per gallon lower than a year ago, according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 11 million weekly price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country.

Historical gasoline prices in Riverside and the national average going back ten years:

• July 31, 2022: $5.49/g (U.S. Average: $4.17/g)
• July 31, 2021: $4.29/g (U.S. Average: $3.16/g)
• July 31, 2020: $3.13/g (U.S. Average: $2.18/g)
• July 31, 2019: $3.58/g (U.S. Average: $2.72/g)
• July 31, 2018: $3.54/g (U.S. Average: $2.87/g)
• July 31, 2017: $2.88/g (U.S. Average: $2.31/g)
• July 31, 2016: $2.70/g (U.S. Average: $2.13/g)
• July 31, 2015: $4.04/g (U.S. Average: $2.66/g)
• July 31, 2014: $3.94/g (U.S. Average: $3.51/g) July 31, 2013: $4.01/g (U.S. Average: $3.62/g)

Neighboring areas and their current gas prices:

• San Bernardino —$4.89/g, up 10.3 cents per gallon from last week’s $4.79/g.
• Orange County — $4.99/g, up 13.6 cents per gallon from last week’s $4.85/g.
• Los Angeles — $5.04/g, up 11.3 cents per gallon from last week’s $4.92/g.

“Gas prices suddenly soared over the last week due to heat-related refinery outages that impacted some of the largest refineries in the country, at a time when summer gasoline demand peaks and as gasoline inventories slid to their lowest July level since 2015,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “In addition, oil prices surged to their highest level in months, rising to over $80 per barrel due to SPR releases coming to an end and concerns over cuts in supply from Saudi Arabia and Russia, the second and third largest oil producers in the world. Motorists have seen average gasoline and diesel prices rise at the fastest pace in over a year, but the rise seen in the last week should now start slowing. However, as we get ever closer to the peak of hurricane season, any new issues could easily push the national average over $4 per gallon for the first time in 2023. Drivers may want to brace for potentially higher prices yet.”