The national average price for a gallon of regular gas increased on Wednesday to $3.084 from Tuesday’s price of $3.078, according to AAA. Wednesday’s slight increase bucks the recent trend of falling gas prices after last week’s presidential election. Gas prices have fluctuated in recent months but have mostly trended downward. Wednesday’s price is the least expensive for a gallon of regular gas since January 2024, when the average price was $3.075.

Wednesday’s price is less expensive than a week ago, when the average gallon of regular gas cost $3.107. A month ago, the national average price for a gallon of regular gas was $3.201; a year ago, it was $3.365. The cost of gas has been an important topic in the country’s political discourse for much of the last few years, as President Joe Biden was burdened with high gas prices during most of his term.