Gas prices across Georgia are on a steady slide, giving drivers a little relief as summer approaches.
⛽ What We Know: Georgia’s average price for regular unleaded gas sits at $2.92 per gallon as of Monday. That is 6 cents lower than last week and 51 cents cheaper than this time last year. It is also 2 cents higher than a month ago.
Drivers are spending about $43.80 to fill up a 15-gallon tank. That is nearly $8.00 less than what they were paying a year ago.
Nationwide, prices also slipped. The national average is down 3 cents from last week, now sitting at $3.15 per gallon.
AAA spokesperson Montrae Waiters said falling oil prices are playing a big role. She pointed to worries about a possible recession, saying those fears are dragging down demand and driving pump prices lower.
🛢️ Oil Market Update: Crude oil prices closed last Wednesday at $62.47 per barrel, a $1.14 rise for the day. U.S. crude inventories climbed by 0.5 million barrels. Despite the increase, inventories are about 6 percent below the five-year average for this time of year.
According to the Energy Information Administration, gasoline demand ticked up slightly last week, but overall supply fell by 2 million barrels.
🔌 Electric Costs Hold Steady: For drivers going electric, public charging station prices stayed at 34 cents per kilowatt-hour. AAA’s TripTik Travel Planner offers real-time electric charging prices for anyone planning a road trip.
📍 Regional Gas Prices: The highest prices in Georgia are found in Athens-Atlanta at $2.97, Savannah at $2.96, and Macon at $2.92. The cheapest gas is in Dalton at $2.80, Augusta-Aiken at $2.77, and Catoosa-Dade-Walker at $2.76.
🧮 By The Numbers:
- Georgia’s average one year ago: $3.43 per gallon
- National average one year ago: $3.67 per gallon
- Georgia’s all-time record high: $4.49 on June 15, 2022
- National record high: $5.01 on June 14, 2022
🧠 In Context: Historically, gas prices tend to rise as summer travel kicks off. This year’s early dip bucks that trend, offering welcome news for families planning road trips or commuting daily. Lower crude oil prices mean stations can pass some of those savings on to drivers.
🔮 What’s Next: Experts say if crude prices remain low and demand stays soft, Georgia drivers could see even cheaper prices through early summer.
✅ Take Action: Drivers can maximize savings by shopping around for the best prices, using apps like AAA’s TripTik, and keeping up with regular vehicle maintenance to improve gas mileage.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
