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Gas prices drop locally, nationally
Stacy Wescoe//April 21, 2026//
Listen to this articleDespite ongoing fighting in the Middle East, gas prices are down both locally and nationally.
The average price for a gallon of gas is six cents lower in Pennsylvania this week at $4.094, according to AAA East Central‘s Gas Price Report.
In the Lehigh Valley the average price for a gallon of gas on April 20 was $3.967 down from $4.083 the week prior, but still drastically higher than it was one year ago when the average price for a gallon of gas was $3.188.
The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline decreased eight cents over the past week to $4.04.
AAA said the price for a barrel of crude oil has continued to trade below $100 over the past week, opening this week at $88 per barrel.
Today’s national average is 13 cents more than a month ago and 89 cents more than a year ago.
The status of maritime traffic moving through the Strait of Hormuz remains an issue as regional tensions persist, AAA said.
According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand increased last week from 8.56 million barrels per day to 9.08 million.
Total domestic gasoline supply dropped from 239.3 million barrels to 232.9 million. Gasoline production increased last week, averaging 9.8 million barrels per day.
At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, West Texas Intermediate rose 0.01 cent to settle at $91.29 a barrel. The EIA reports crude oil inventories decreased by 0.9 million barrels from the previous week.
At 463.8 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 1% above the five-year average for this time of year, AAA said.
