Area gas prices drop five cents per gallon

While the national average went up five cents per gallon at the pump, the Gainesville area saw a five-cent drop and Florida prices went down eight cents over last week.

According to the AAA weekly release sent Thursday, the main culprit in the national oil cost surge is that the price per barrel is now around $90.

In the Gainesville area over the last week, prices dropped from $3.74 to $3.69 per gallon. In Florida, the statewide average went from $3.65 to $3.57, while nationally the prices went up from $3.80 to $3.85.

“Oil costs are putting upward pressure on pump prices, but the rise is tempered by much lower demand,” said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson, in the press release. “The slide in people fueling up is typical, with schools back in session, the days getting shorter, and the weather less pleasant. But the usual decline in pump prices is being stymied for now by these high oil costs.”

New data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows the gas demand decreased from 9.32 to 8.31 million barrels per day (b/d) last week. But nationally, gasoline stocks jumped from 214.7 to 220.3 million barrels of crude oil (bbl). Even with the gas demand dropping amid increasing stocks, the elevated cost of oil has pushed pump prices higher. 

Thursday’s national average of $3.85 is five cents more than a month ago and 15 cents more than last year’s $3.70.

Florida has the 11^th least expensive price per gallon nationally. Last month, gas was $3.73 per gallon and last year it was $3.43 statewide.  

In the Gainesville area, last month’s price was $3.82 per gallon and last year it was $3.49.

According to gasbuddy.com, here are the lowest prices to fill up in Alachua County:   

• $3.39 at CITGO, 809 N. Main St., Gainesville
• $3.49 at Murphy’s Express, 6323 NW 23^rd St., Gainesville
• $3.49 at BP, 15295 NE US Highway 301, Waldo
• $3.49 at Marathon, 9600 Martin Luther Hwy, Gainesville
• $3.51 at Circle K, 4565 NW 13^th St., Gainesville
• $3.52 at Sam’s Club, 4001 SW 30^th Place, Gainesville
• $3.53 at Marathon, 3936 W. Newberry Rd., Gainesville
• $3.54 at Pilot, 17276 US 301, Waldo

Quick Stats

Since last Thursday, these 10 states have seen the largest increases in their averages: Minnesota (+32 cents), North Dakota (+31 cents), Iowa (+29 cents), Nebraska (+27 cents), Oklahoma (+27 cents), South Dakota (+22 cents), Montana (+20 cents), Arizona (+17 cents), Missouri (+17 cents) and Kansas (+16 cents).

The nation’s top 10 most expensive markets: California ($5.50), Washington ($5.05), Hawaii ($4.79), Nevada ($4.73), Oregon ($4.70), Alaska ($4.60), Arizona ($4.51), Utah ($4.32), Montana ($4.20) and Idaho ($4.15).