As Oregonians prepare to travel for Independence Day, gas prices have steadily decreased since May 22. The Oregon average for regular gasoline fell 15 cents to $4.83 a gallon, while the national average lost 12 cents to $3.93 a gallon.
Travel Expectations
AAA expects a slight uptick in travel volume over last year, with 72.2 million Americans, including 877,000 Oregonians, traveling 50 miles or more from home over the 4th of July holiday period. However, the increase is only 0.5%, which is smaller than recent year-over-year gains.
The conflict between the U.S. and Iran has led to uncertainty in the oil market, causing crude oil prices to remain volatile. The price of West Texas Intermediate, the U.S. benchmark for crude, has ranged between $71 and nearly $113 per barrel since the conflict began.
Gas Price Trends
Gas prices typically rise in mid-to-late winter and early spring as refineries undergo maintenance ahead of the switch to summer-blend fuel. The switch to summer-blend fuel occurs first in California, which is why pump prices on the West Coast often rise before other parts of the country.
In Oregon, the average gas price began 2026 at $3.42 a gallon, with the highest price of the year so far being $5.353 on May 20. The national average began 2026 at $2.83 a gallon, with the highest price of the year so far being $4.564 on May 21.
Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.
