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PARKERSBURG — Cheaper crude oil prices and supply increases are contributing to the decrease in gasoline prices, AAA is reporting.

The auto club said the national average fell by a penny over the past week to $2.81 per gallon. They said this is the lowest national average in the past five years and is 16 cents less than a month ago and 25 cents less than a year ago.

According to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report, prices in northern West Virginia are two cents higher this week at $2.725 per gallon while Parkersburg sits at $2.573 per gallon. This is up from the $2.491 reported last week.

The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline today in various West Virginia areas:

* $2.555 – Bridgeport

* $2.610 – Clarksburg

* $2.856 – Huntington

* $2.871 – Martinsburg

* $2.729 – Morgantown

* $2.841 – Weirton

* $2.761 – Wheeling

In Ohio, the auto club reports gas prices are 13 cents lower in South Central Ohio this week at $2.690 per gallon while Marietta is listed at $2.660 per gallon. This is down from the $2.791 reported last week.

The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline today in various areas of Ohio:

* $2.883 – Athens

* $2.602 – Chillicothe

* $2.489 – Columbiana

* $2.550 – East Liverpool

* $2.748 – Gallipolis

* $2.611 – Hillsboro

* $2.899 – Ironton

* $2.644 – Jackson

* $2.631 – Logan

* $2.677 – Portsmouth

* $2.765 – Steubenville

* $2.647 – Washington Court House

* $2.856 – Waverly

The three states with the highest reported gas prices are Hawaii at $4.41, California at $4.26 and Nevada at $3.87.

The lowest gas prices were reported in Oklahoma at $2.23, Iowa at $2.34 and Colorado at $2.35.

The report said the national average per kilowatt hour of electricity at a public EV charging station stayed the same this past week at 38 cents but that West Virginia is paying the highest price per kilowatt hour of electricity in the states at 53 cents, ahead of Alaska at 48 cents and Hawaii at 46 cents.

The cheapest prices per kilowatt hour of electricity at a public EV charging station were listed as Kansas at 26 cents, Wyoming at 27 cents and Missouri at 28 cents. There was no listing for prices in Ohio.