Rockland Daily Staff

Rockland County's average gas price for regular gas is twenty-three cents higher than the national average per gallon. 

According to AAA, the national average of $3.68 is up 24 cents from a month ago but down 43 cents from a year ago.

The rise in prices flies against the fact that demand for gas has decreased, which would typically lower prices. According to the Energy Information Administration data, demand for gas has gone down from 8.94 million to 8.52 million barrels per day as of last week, while total domestic gasoline stocks have increased to 223.5 million barrels of crude oil from 222.2 million barrels. The rise in prices is being blamed by the AAA on elevated oil prices over the past month.