Florida jumps into top 10 for most expensive gas nationwide

A nine-cent increase in average price per gallon since last week has Florida ranked as the ninth most expensive state in the country.

According to Thursday’s AAA weekly gas report, the statewide average cost per gallon of regular gas is at $3.26, up from $3.17 last week.

In the Gainesville area, gas prices also increased nine cents from $3.19 to $3.28.

Meanwhile, the national average price per gallon went up only five cents from $3.10 to $3.15.

The upward trend is a combination of oil costs edging toward the upper $70s per barrel and the normal seasonal winter increases, according to the AAA release.

“We are in that time of year where pump prices begin to heat up, usually peaking around July,” said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson, in the press release. “But unless something shocks the global oil market and causes prices to spike, the national average for a gallon of gas will probably stagger higher, with some flat days or even small price dips along the way.”

New data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gas demand increased from 7.89 to 8.14 million barrels per day (b/d) last week while total domestic gasoline stocks rose by 1.1 million barrels of crude oil (bbl) to 254.1 million bbl.

Thursday’s national average of $3.15 is four cents more than last month’s $3.11. Last year, the price was at $3.50.

Florida has the ninth most expensive price per gallon nationally. Last month, gas was $3.06 per gallon and last year it was $3.54 statewide.  

In the Gainesville area, last month’s price was $3.12 per gallon and last year it was $3.57.

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

• $2.99 at Pilot, 17276 US 301, Waldo
• $3.09 at Love’s Travel Stop, 5615 SE US 301, Hawthorne
• $3.09 at Shell, 905 S. Main St., High Springs
• $3.09 at Pure, 405 NE 1^st St., High Springs
• $3.12 at Chevron, 830 NW 1^st St., High Springs
• $3.12 at The Short Stop, 2610 NE 39^th Ave., Gainesville
• $3.16 at Sunoco, 610 NE 1^st Ave., High Springs
• $3.18 at Chevron, 401 N. Main St., High Springs
• $3.19 at Texaco, 4114 SW 13^th St., Gainesville

Quick Stats

Since last Thursday, these 10 states have seen the largest changes in their averages: Missouri (+16 cents), Texas (+11 cents), Minnesota (+11 cents), Indiana (−11 cents), Iowa (+10 cents), Arkansas (+10 cents), Delaware (+9 cents), Kansas (+9 cents), Florida (+9 cents) and Colorado (+8 cents).

The nation’s top 10 least expensive markets: Wyoming ($2.68), Oklahoma ($2.71), Utah ($2.72), Wisconsin ($2.74), Kansas ($2.75), Mississippi ($2.75), Colorado ($2.76), Arkansas ($2.77), Kentucky ($2.79) and Missouri ($2.79).