Gas prices in the Gainesville area jumped 47 cents over the past week to $3.76 per gallon and have increased by 34 cents nationwide.

According to the latest AAA numbers released on Thursday, the local cost at the pump went from $3.29 last week to $3.76 in the Gainesville area. In Florida, the average price per gallon increased from $3.24 to $3.71 and the national average went from $3.25 to $3.59.

“Current prices are similar to the spring of 2024. Gasoline demand increases this time of year as the weather warms up and more drivers hit the road,” the AAA release stated. “Crude oil prices play a major role in what drivers pay at the pump, and prices have surpassed the $100 per barrel mark multiple times in recent days.”

In response to the rising prices, the U.S. announced that it will release 172 million barrels of oil from its strategic reserves over the next four months, according to the release. The International Energy Agency plans to release 400 million barrels of oil, the largest emergency release in its history.

 According to the latest data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand increased from 8.29 million barrels per day (b/d) to 9.24 million. Total domestic gasoline supply decreased from 253.1 million barrels of crude oil (bbl) to 249.5 million. Gasoline production also decreased last week, averaging 9.8 million barrels per day. 

Thursday’s national average for a gallon of gas is $3.59, which is up 65 cents since last month. Last year, the price was $3.08.

Florida has the eighth most expensive price per gallon in the nation at $3.71. Last month, gas was $2.93 per gallon, and last year it was $3.02 statewide.  

In the Gainesville area, last month’s price was $2.97 per gallon, and last year it was $3.10.

According to gasbuddy.com, here are the cheapest stations to fill up at in Alachua County: 

• $3.19 at Chevron, 15000 Martin Luther King Blvd., Alachua
• $3.29 at Texaco, 6850 SE US 301, Hawthorne
• $3.45 at Chevron, 830 NW 1^st St., High Springs
• $3.49 at Pilot, 17276 US 301, Waldo
• $3.49 at Marathon, 3970 NE County Road 340, High Springs
• $3.49 at The Short Stop, 2610 NE 39^th Ave., Gainesville
• $3.49 at Chevron, 1024 W. University Ave., Gainesville
• $3.54 at Amoco, 2222 NE Waldo Rd., Gainesville
• $3.59 at Chevron, 401 N. Main St., High Springs

State Stats 

Gas 

The nation’s top 10 most expensive gasoline markets are California ($5.36), Hawaii ($4.76), Washington ($4.74), Nevada ($4.39), Oregon ($4.30), Arizona ($4.06), Alaska ($3.96), Florida ($3.71), Pennsylvania ($3.66), and Illinois ($3.66). 

The nation’s top 10 least expensive gasoline markets are Kansas ($3.04), Oklahoma ($3.05), North Dakota ($3.09), Arkansas ($3.11), Missouri ($3.12), Mississippi ($3.16), South Dakota ($3.18), Kentucky ($3.19), Wisconsin ($3.21), and Iowa ($3.22). 

Electric 

The nation’s top 10 most expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour are West Virginia (54 cents), Hawaii (51 cents), Alaska (50 cents), New Hampshire (47 cents), Louisiana (47 cents), South Carolina (46 cents), California (45 cents), New Jersey (45 cents), Arkansas (44 cents), and North Dakota (43 cents). 

The nation’s top 10 least expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour are Kansas (29 cents), Missouri (31 cents), Nebraska (33 cents), Iowa (33 cents), Maryland (33 cents), Utah (34 cents), Vermont (34 cents), South Dakota (34 cents), Delaware (36 cents), and Colorado (38 cents).