Price drops at area gas pumps continue to provide a little bit of relief for motorists.

Average gasoline prices in Modesto have fallen 7.7 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $4.44/gallon as of July 8, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 201 stations in Modesto. Prices in Modesto are 30.5 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand 17.5 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has risen 3.6 cents in the last week and stands at $3.81 per gallon.

According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Modesto was priced at $3.95/gallon while the most expensive was $5.19, a difference of $1.24/gallon. The lowest price in the state was $3.49 while the highest was $6.69, a difference of $3.20/gallon.

The national average price of gasoline is unchanged in the last week, averaging $3.46/gallon as of July 8. The national average is up 3.7 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 5.5 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.

Neighboring areas and their current gas prices include: Stockton - $4.51/gallon, down 1 cent per gallon from last week’s $4.52; Oakland - $4.79, down 2.0 cents from $4.81; and San Jose - $4.70/gallon, down 4.8 cents from last week’s $4.75/gallon.

“The national average price of gasoline has nudged higher over the last week as oil prices have continued to push toward multi-month highs. While it looks like this recent rise could be restrained for now, Hurricane Beryl is a stark reminder that hurricane season could play a role in prices in the weeks ahead,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “For now, we’ll likely continue to see some fluctuations in either direction with the national average moving up, but as we approach August and the peak of hurricane season, there remains a risk that the national average could surge temporarily if we see a major storm in the wrong place.”

Historical gasoline prices in Modesto and the national average going back 10 years show the highest July 8 price in Modesto was $5.97 per gallon in 2022 and the lowest was $2.69 in 2016. Nationally, the highest July 8 average price was $4.70 per gallon in 2022 and the lowest was $2.19 in 2020.

GasBuddy is the authoritative voice for gas prices and the only source for station-level data. GasBuddy's survey updates 288 times every day from the most diverse list of sources covering nearly 150,000 stations nationwide, the most comprehensive and up-to-date in the country.