Gas Prices Continue Dropping, Local Prices Close to Lowest in State

Gasoline prices in Massachusetts continue to drop and are down 6 cents from last week, according to AAA Southern New England.

The drops mirrors a national downward trend, the AAA said. Prices have dropped 17 cents per gallon in the past month.

The drop comes even as there are high-profile conflicts in oil-producing countries overseas and declining domestic refinery production, according to AAA.

The average price for self-serve, regular unleaded gas statewide on Tuesday was $3.50 per gallon, down six cents from last week. A year ago at this time the Massachusetts average price was 16 cents higher at $3.66, according to AAA.

The Massachusetts average is 3 cents more than the national average for self serve unleaded of $3.47.

In Massachusetts, the average price for self-serve midgrade unleaded this week is $3.69 and self-serve premium unleaded is $3.82. The average for self-serve diesel is $3.90 per gallon.

The range in prices in the latest AAA survey for unleaded regular in Massachusetts is 62 cents, from a low of $3.27 to a high of $3.89.

Gas on the North Shore can be found close to the lower end of the range, according to Gas Buddy. While there is no gas station in Marblehead, regular unleaded was selling for $3.29 per gallon at three places in neighboring Salem - Hess on Derby Street, Prime on Lafayette Street and Global on Canal Street. The lowest priced gas in neighboring Swampscott is $3.45 at Gibbs on Humphrey Street.