KY drivers can expect rising gas prices this summer. What’s the cost in your area?
Prices at the gas pump will be changing for Kentucky drivers starting in July.
Both Democratic and Republican politicians are taking credit for a 1.4-cent per gallon decrease to the state’s gas tax. Starting Tuesday, July 1, it will bring the rate from 27.8 cents per gallon to 26.4 cents per gallon. The tax is tied to the average wholesale price of fuel, rising and falling with gas prices.
Still, the steady rise of summer gas prices is likely to eat away at any modest cost savings Kentucky drivers would see from the tax cut. In one month, the average price per gallon of regular fuel in Kentucky has risen from $2.83 to $2.94, according to price data tracked by auto group AAA. The current national average is $3.22 per gallon.
While prices are rising with the start of the summer travel season, they’re still well below prices this time last year, AAA spokesperson Lori Weaver Hawkins said.
“Last year, at this time … we were at $3.26. So, still quite a bit of savings over the last year, over 30 cents cheaper,” Hawkins told the Herald-Leader in an interview June 25. “That’s good news for all of those people that plan to hit the highway here soon.”
It’s also much cheaper than Kentucky’s record price of $4.79 per gallon of regular fuel, set June 11, 2022.
AAA expects more than 820,000 Kentuckians to travel for the Fourth of July this year, and the overwhelming majority will be traveling by road. According to Hawkins, the busiest travel days will be Wednesday, July 2 and Saturday, July 5.
“No matter what day people have to travel, try to get on the road early,” Hawkins said.
If you are looking to fill up your tank before a long road trip, here’s a look at where you can find the best gas prices.
How to find the cheapest gas prices in Kentucky
Mobile apps like GasBuddy can help you find the best gas prices near you. AAA also tracks gas price data across Kentucky, including for its metro areas.
As of June 26, the average price per gallon of regular fuel in the Lexington area is $3.03 cents. Not surprisingly, the price has risen slightly with the start of summer.
GasBuddy says Lexington drivers can find some of the cheapest prices per gallon at the E-Z Mart and Deli on Ashgrove Road in Nicholasville at $2.65 as of June 26. For members of Sam’s Club, the Nicholasville warehouse had a gallon priced at $2.69, and at the New Circle Road warehouse in Lexington the price per gallon was reported at $2.78.
On a county-by-county basis, prices tend to be higher in and around population centers, such as Lexington, Louisville and northern Kentucky, likely due to higher demand. Generally, prices get cheaper the further west you go in the state.
As of June 26, the Kentucky counties with the cheapest average prices per gallon of regular fuel are Daviess and Simpson counties, both about even at $2.69, per AAA figures.
Henderson and Hardin counties also enjoy low gas prices at $2.74 and $2.83 per gallon, respectively.
Do you have a question about prices or consumer issues in Kentucky for our service journalism team? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Know Your Kentucky form or email ask@herald-leader.com.
This story was originally published June 27, 2025 at 4:45 AM.