Gas price competition and regional differences in Kansas
Palace notes that price cuts spread quickly when stations compete, with AAA data showing 33 Lawrence stations and 60 in Topeka. Larger retailers influence pricing, while volume at busy locations allows deeper discounts. Topeka often has lower prices, Lawrence sometimes highest among metro areas, though the gap narrows recently. Prices remain well below last year’s holiday levels, averaging $2.11 in Lawrence and $2.06 in Topeka at the time.