Gas prices down slightly

Despite a AAA-projected record 43 million people hitting the road for the Fourth of July holiday, gas prices remained steady.

According to a Thursday AAA press release, the national price per gallon dropped two cents since last week to $3.52 while Florida saw a two-cent increase to $3.33 and the Gainesville area went down one cent to $3.33.

“Gas prices may rise over the next few days based on slightly higher demand,” said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson in the press release. “But it could be more of a blip than a trend, and demand may retreat once the holiday is further in the rearview mirror.”

Recent data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) showed the demand increased from 9.31 to 9.6 million barrels per day (b/d) last week. The total domestic gasoline stocks decreased by 2.5 million barrels of crude oil (bbl) to 219.5 million bbl.

Thursday’s national average is down from last week’s $3.54 and two cents down from last month’s $3.54. Last year, the national average per gallon was $4.77.

Florida has the 19^th least expensive price per gallon nationally after prices after the slight increase from last week to $3.31. Last month, gas was $3.34 per gallon and last year at $4.51 statewide.  

In the Gainesville area, last month prices were at $3.33 per gallon and last year they were at $4.59.

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

• $3.09 at Sam’s Club, 4001 SW 30^th Pl, Gainesville
• $3.09 at Marathon, 1606 NW 13^th St., Gainesville
• $3.11 at Wawa, 2305 NW 13^th St., Gainesville
• $3.14 at Wawa, 1007 E. University Ave., Gainesville
• $3.15 at Sunoco, 4207 NW 13^th St., Gainesville
• $3.15 at CITGO, 809 N. Main St., Gainesville
• $3.15 at Sunoco, 528 NW 8^th Ave., Gainesville
• $3.16 at Marathon, 9600 Martin Luther Hwy, Gainesville
• $3.17 at Raceway, 15330 NW US 301, Waldo
• $3.19 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: Colorado (+11 cents), Arizona (−11 cents), Ohio (−10 cents), Indiana (−9 cents), Utah (−8 cents), Illinois (−7 cents), Pennsylvania (−7 cents), South Carolina (−6 cents) and Texas (−6 cents).

The nation’s top 10 least expensive markets: Mississippi ($2.96), Alabama ($3.07), Louisiana ($3.08), Tennessee ($3.08), Arkansas ($3.10), Texas ($3.13), South Carolina ($3.14), Oklahoma ($3.18), North Carolina ($3.21) and Georgia ($3.22).