Area gas prices see slight drop

The Gainesville area recorded an eight-cent drop per gallon of gas from last week.

According to Thursday’s AAA weekly report, Florida prices dropped for the fourth straight week by an average of seven cents while nationwide the price remained the same at $3.53.

“Despite mild weather and a less volatile economic forecast, drivers are not hitting the road and raising gasoline demand to traditional seasonal levels,” said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson, in the press release. “It’s possible this is merely the lull before Memorial Day, but it could be a trend that lingers into summer. Stay Tuned.”

Data from Energy Information Administration (EIA) showed gas demand declined from 9.30 to 8.91 million barrels per day (b/d) last week. The decrease reduced pressure on pump prices. And total domestic gasoline stocks went down by 1.4 million barrels of crude oil (bbl) to 218.3 million bbl.

Thursday’s national average of $3.53 is down from last month’s $3.67 and last year’s $4.56 per gallon.

Florida has the 23rd most expensive average in the U.S. at $3.44 per gallon, down seven cents from last week’s $3.51. A month ago, the average cost was $3.61; last year it was $4.50.   

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

• $3.23 at Murphy Express, 6323 NW 23^rd St., Gainesville
• $3.23 at Circle K, 4565 NW 13^th St., Gainesville
• $3.24 at Sam’s Club, 4001 SW 30^th Place, Gainesville
• $3.27 at Marathon, 9600 Martin Luther Hwy, Gainesville
• $3.28 at Sunoco, 4207 NW 13^th St., Gainesville
• $3.28 at Circle K, 5708 SW 34^th St., Gainesville
• $3.29 at Love’s Travel Stop, 5615 SE US 301, Hawthorne

Quick Stats

Since last Thursday, these 10 states have seen the largest changes in their averages: Utah (+20 cents), Michigan (+20 cents), Florida (−7 cents), Wisconsin (+5 cents), Kentucky (+5 cents), Iowa (+5 cents), Delaware (+4 cents), Arizona (−4 cents), Colorado (−4 cents) and Indiana (−3 cents).

The nation’s top 10 least expensive markets: Mississippi ($2.97), Texas ($3.08), Louisiana ($3.08), Alabama ($3.09), Arkansas ($3.10), Tennessee ($3.13), South Carolina ($3.14), Oklahoma ($3.17), Missouri ($3.18) and Kansas ($3.23).