S.C. Gas Prices Coming Down

Gas prices across South Carolina fell 10 cents during the last seven days, mirroring a national trend of falling fuel prices, according to data from AAA.

In the Columbia area, the current average cost of a gallon of regular unleaded gas is $3.39, according to AAA data. A week ago, a average gallon of gas cost $3.41. The national average is $3.67 for a gallon of unleaded.

The highest recorded average price for regular unleaded in the Columbia area was set on Sept. 15, 2008, at $4.21.

Irmo-Seven Oak Patch's commute page has a list of some of the cheapest gas prices in town.

The price reduction is good news for motorists across the U.S. who saw a near 50-cent increase in fuel prices earlier in the month. The surge in prices was brought on by the normal switch from summer to winter blends of gas. As refineries switched over, gas was in limited supply.

In South Carolina, that early October spike was a mere 5 cents, but the Palmetto State typically has the lowest gas prices in the country, due mostly to low gas taxes. Earlier this month, we reported that S.C. had the cheapest gas in the nation.

Despite that, South Carolina motorists are paying 20 cents more a gallon today than they did last year, according to AAA data. The peak, however, was in November 2008 when a gallon of unleaded topped $4.12.