NEW YORK — A week ­after Superstorm Sandy, the price of gas has increased 10 cents per gallon or more in the New York City area and in hard-hit parts of New Jersey. Images of long lines of cars and interviews with frustrated drivers have become staples in news coverage of the storm’s aftermath.

But across the United State the price of gasoline is falling — fast. The average fell 7 cents this past week and has declined nearly 9 percent in a month to $3.47 per gallon. The national average should be only slightly higher on Election Day than a year ago. That’s due to a dramatic drop in the price of wholesale gasoline and low demand from cautious consumers.