NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Monday is the unofficial start of summer, and people are expected to use the Memorial Day holiday to travel as they kick off their summer plans. As such, gas prices have ticked up in anticipation of the seasonal travel surge, according to AAA.
AAA forecasts that Memorial Day road trips will be up 6% over last year, with more than 37 million Americans driving to their destinations.
Despite the uptick in cost, the average gas prices in Tennessee are still lower than they were in 2022, according to AAA data. As of May 25, the average gas price for regular unleaded gasoline was $3.198 per gallon. In 2022, the average price was more than a dollar higher, at $4.276 per gallon.
The statewide average is still lower than the national average, according to AAA. The national average was $3.572.
In Nashville, the average price is slightly higher than the state figure, at $3.263/gal for regular. The figure is also higher than Knoxville’s $3.199/gal, Clarksville’s $3.179, Chattanooga’s $3.168 and Memphis’ $3.165.
According to AAA data, many Middle Tennessee counties are seeing gas prices at or above $3.203/gal, with Williamson County leading with the highest average price.
| County Name | Retail Price (per gal.) |
| Williamson | $3.471 |
| Davidson | $3.294 |
| Houston | $3.286 |
| Cannon | $3.281 |
| Trousdale | $3.266 |
| Moore | $3.259 |
| Hickman | $3.245 |
| Marshall | $3.243 |
| Bedford | $3.243 |
| Lincoln | $3.239 |
| Wilson | $3.238 |
| Macon | $3.227 |
| Smith | $3.226 |
| Dickson | $3.225 |
| Lawrence | $3.217 |
| Franklin | $3.215 |
| Rutherford | $3.214 |
| Robertson | $3.212 |
| Warren | $3.212 |
| Coffee | $3.209 |
| Sumner | $3.209 |
| Sequatchie | $3.204 |
Counties on the western edge of Middle Tennessee are faring better than the state average with gas prices, according to AAA. Hardin County’s per-gallon-average sits at $3.088, followed by Stewart County at $3.109, Decatur County at $3.125 and Benton County at $3.127. DeKalb County to the southeast of Nashville also falls below the state average at $3.124/gal.
According to AAA spokesperson Megan Cooper, AAA members can find the best prices for gas using the AAA mobile app using its location-based software.
“Drivers can use it to see what the price of gas is at gas stations nearest to them, no matter where they are,” she told News 2.
Additionally, drivers can estimate how much they’ll need to budget for road trips using the AAA gas cost calculator, available online, according to Cooper.
“You can select your starting point, where you’re going, the type of vehicle you’re driving and it will calculate an estimated price of gasoline for your trip,” she said. “While it doesn’t help you find the cheapest prices, it can give you an idea of what you can expect to pay in gasoline for your trip.”
