By Steve Wilson
The Center Square

Mississippi gas prices continue to be the nation’s lowest going into the New Year’s holiday.

According to the Auto Club of America, the average price in the Magnolia State is $2.68 per gallon, up a few tenths of a cent from last week’s price of $2.68 and down 10 cents from a year ago today.

The national average is $3.12 per gallon, down a cent from a week ago and 12 cents from a month ago. Gasbuddy energy analyst Patrick DeHaan thinks the prices in the coming few months could go lower.

The most expensive gas is in Claiborne County in southwest Mississippi at $3.11 per gallon, while the cheapest gas is in Simpson County ($2.58) in the south-central part of the state.

For metros in the Magnolia State, the three-county Mississippi Gulf Coast region has the lowest prices at $2.62 per gallon, followed by Hattiesburg ($2.66), the Jackson metro ($2.66) and Olive Branch-Southaven ($2.70).

According to the American Petroleum Institute, Mississippi has the second-lowest state taxes and fees on gasoline (18.79 cents per gallon), second only to Alaska (15.13 per gallon).

The most expensive gas is in Hawaii at $4.68 per gallon, followed by California ($4.67), Washington ($4.14), Nevada ($3.93) and Oregon ($3.80)

The lowest gas prices next to Mississippi are Texas ($2.68 per gallon), Arkansas ($2.68), Missouri ($2.70) and Oklahoma ($2.70)

As for Mississippi’s neighbors, Louisiana is at $2.75 per gallon, followed by Tennessee ($2.78) and Alabama ($2.82).