Area gas prices drop slightly

Gas prices continue to stabilize across the country as the price per gallon decreased slightly since last week due to the falling cost of oil.

According to Thursday’s AAA weekly report, prices dropped two cents to $3.53 from last week’s $3.55. In Florida, the average price per gallon also went down only two cents to $3.52 and nationally prices went down seven cents to $3.76.

Oil prices are currently near $82 per barrel and demand at the pumps is down.

“Drivers are finally seeing some relief at the pump as the seasonal swoon picks up momentum,” said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson, in a press release. “At least one state has locations selling gas below $3 a gallon, and we should begin to see more states join in over the next few weeks.”

The latest data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) has the gas demand dropping significantly from 8.62 to 8.01 million barrels per day (b/d) last week. Domestically, gasoline stocks increased by 6.5 million barrels of crude oil (bbl) to 227 million bbl. The combination of the growing supply and low demand has pushed pump prices down.  

Thursday’s national average of $3.76 is five cents less than last month’s $3.81. Last year it was at $3.83.

Florida has the 19^th least expensive price per gallon nationally. Last month, gas was $3.67 per gallon and last year it was $3.17 statewide.  

In the Gainesville area, last month’s price was $3.77 per gallon and last year it was $3.22.

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

• $3.29 at CITGO, 809 N. Main St., Gainesville
• $3.32 at Sam’s Club, 4001 SW 30^th Place, Gainesville
• $3.35 at Love’s Travel Stop, 5615 SE US 301, Hawthorne
• $3.35 at Marathon, 3423 SW Williston Rd., Gainesville
• $3.39 at BP, 7401 W. Newberry Rd., Gainesville
• $3.39 at Circle K, 15089 NW US 441, Alachua
• $3.39 at Pure, 405 NE 1^st, High Springs
• $3.39 at Sunoco, 610 NE 1^st Ave., High Springs
• $3.39 at Sunoco, 11921 Martin Luther King Blvd., Gainesville

Quick Stats

Since last Thursday, these 10 states have seen the largest decreases in their averages: Nevada (−16 cents), Indiana (−15 cents), Delaware (−14 cents), Iowa (−13 cents), Ohio (−12 cents), Wisconsin (−12 cents), Montana (−11 cents), Minnesota (−11 cents), Oklahoma (−11 cents) and California (−10 cents).

The nation’s top 10 least expensive markets: Georgia ($3.20), Mississippi ($3.20), South Carolina ($3.27), Alabama ($3.28), Louisiana ($3.28), Delaware ($3.29), Texas ($3.29), Tennessee ($3.30), Arkansas ($3.33) and Ohio ($3.35).