The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles Area was $3.287 for the week ended July 17, up four-tenths of a cent from the previous week, according to the Energy Information Administration. The national average is $2.99, up 1.6 cents.

L.A. prices are 73 cents higher than they were a year ago. Statewide, the average price was $ 3.24, up 1.6 cents from the previous week and up 70 cents from a year ago.

Nationwide, Los Angeles had the highest average price of gas in major cities, and was one of six cities over the $3-a-gallon mark & #65533; Seattle being the newest city to share the dubious designation. Chicago had the second-most expensive gas at $3.21 a gallon with San Francisco next at $3.198. California was the most expensive state and Texas, with an average of $2.865, was the least expensive.