Riverside County Gas Prices Hit $5.77 After 29-Day Slide

The average cost of self-serve regular gasoline in Riverside County stood at $5.776 on Sunday, halting a 29-day trend of falling prices. According to data from AAA and Oil Price Information Service, the local average has declined by 55.3 cents over the past month. That recent drop follows a 44-day period of rising costs that pushed prices within 4.4 cents of the all-time high of $6.373 recorded in October 2022.

The shift toward lower prices began in late September. On Sept. 28, California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that retailers could sell cheaper winter-blend gasoline immediately, bypassing the standard Nov. 1 transition date. The first price reduction under this new rule occurred four days later. Since then, daily prices have trended downward, including a 1.7-cent drop on Saturday.

Despite the recent relief, local drivers still pay more than they did a year ago. The current average is $1.165 higher than in November 2025. It is also $1.225 higher than the price at the start of the conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran on Feb. 28. That geopolitical tension drove oil costs up and accelerated increases at the pump throughout the spring and summer.

National trends mirror the local pattern. The national average for regular gas fell by 1 cent on Sunday to $4.173, marking the eighth straight day of decreases. The national price is $1.135 higher than a year ago but has dropped 24 cents since the end of October.

The local average is currently 11.5 cents lower than it was one week ago. The national average is 11.6 cents lower than its level from a week prior. Both regional and national figures show a steady retreat from the peaks reached earlier this year.