By: Isabelle Puente

There’s no doubt that Jackson residents have started to notice a fluctuation in current gas prices. As of June 24, the cheapest gas residents are able to find is at Sam’s Club located on Emporium Drive, at $3.05.

In Jackson, the average price is sitting at $3.51.

Statewide, Tennessee is the 5th least expensive market in the nation, and the average price of fuel is currently at $3.46; nationwide it’s at $3.92.

However, what do the local residents think about these expenses?

“I’m noticing them going down a bit so that’s reassuring,” Lacy Stanford said. “It has definitely caused me to notice the price at the pump – where in previous times I would just fill up and not necessarily look at the total at the end of the day.”

Stanford, a Jackson resident, made her comments while getting fuel at Sam’s Club in Jackson.

Although Sam’s Club might be the cheapest fuel in town, in order to use the pumps you must have an active Sam’s Club membership card or have an active Walmart+ account.

So, where does that leave the rest of us? Well, at Walmart on South Highland Avenue you can fill up at $3.34 a gallon – which is not as low, and still under the city average.

“Most of the places are too expensive, they need to be coming down,”, said Jackson resident Catherine Russell. “If Sam’s can give it to you for $3.05, everybody else could too.”

If residents are willing to go a little further out, they can also make a trip to Love’s Travel Stop located at 2050 Highway 70 E., where the price is currently $3.05.

According to GasBuddy’s (gasbuddy.com) 2026 outlook for the second half of the year, prices are expected to drop, and by December, they’re expected to be as low as $2.83.

For now, residents can mainly rely on hope that we will finally see these early 2000’s prices.

To find more information and data on the current costs, you can visit GasBuddy’s website or visit the American Automobile Association’s website.

On Monday, June 22, gas prices continued to decline across the state, falling 10 cents, on average, over the previous week which ended June 18.

The Tennessee Gas Price average is now $3.50 which is 70 cents less expensive than one month ago but 66 cents more expensive than one year ago.

Independence Day Travel Forecast 

AAA projects more than 1.6 million Tennesseans will travel at least 50 miles from home for the Independence Day holiday travel period, which runs from Saturday, June 27 through Sunday, July 5. Most travelers will take to the road, with more than 1.4 million Tennesseans driving to their destinations. Air travel remains steady, while cruising and other modes of transportation see the strongest growth.

While this year’s increase is modest compared to recent gains, it still sets a record for Fourth of July travel in Tennessee, as strong consumer demand continues to offset higher travel costs. Click here to view the full Independence Day Travel Forecast.

National Gas Prices

Drivers are getting a break at the pump as the summer travel season heats up. For the first time since Mach 30, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is down to $3.92. This marks nearly 4 straight weeks of declines. Crude oil prices are down as the U.S. and Iran reach a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Sliding gas prices come as millions of Americans prepare to travel for Independence Day in record numbers starting next weekend.

According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand increased last week from 8.73 million b/d to 9.21 million. Total domestic gasoline supply decreased from 215.1 million barrels to 214.2 million. Gasoline production increased last week, averaging 10.1 million barrels per day.

National Oil Market Dynamics

At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, WTI rose 74 cents to settle at $76.79 a barrel. The EIA reports crude oil inventories decreased by 8.3 million barrels from the previous week. At 418.2 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 6% below the five-year average for this time of year.

 Tennessee Regional Prices – according to AAA on June 19

• Most expensive metro markets – Memphis ($3.61), Jackson ($3.53,), Nashville ($3.53)
• Least expensive metro markets – Clarksville ($3.20), Chattanooga ($3.38), Morristown ($3.42)

According to AAA, projections have more than 1.6 million Tennesseans traveling at least 50 miles from home for the Independence Day holiday travel period, which runs from Saturday, June 27 through Sunday, July 5.

Most travelers will take to the road, with more than 1.4 million Tennesseans driving to their destinations. Air travel remains steady, while cruising and other modes of transportation see the strongest growth.

While this year’s increase is modest compared to recent gains, it still sets a record for Fourth of July travel in Tennessee, as strong consumer demand continues to offset higher travel costs.

(PHOTO: Sam’s Club, left, Walmart South, Jackson – Isabelle Puente – Golden Media Group)