If you’ve noticed your wallet feeling a little lighter after a fill-up, you’re not imagining it. Gas prices across Georgia are creeping back up. Right now, drivers are shelling out an average of $2.94 for a gallon of regular unleaded. That’s five cents more than last week, but still a break compared to last year when prices were 41 cents higher.
⛽ What’s Happening: AAA says it’ll cost you about $44 to fill up a 15-gallon tank. While that’s not exactly spare change, it’s nearly $7 less than what folks were paying at this time last year.
One reason behind the current price bump? Some refineries are switching to a more expensive summer blend gasoline. It’s designed to perform better in hotter temperatures, but it costs more to make.
💡 Why It Matters: Rising gas prices hit right where it hurts—your budget. And even if you’re paying less than you did last year, it’s still a frustrating trend as warmer weather typically leads to more travel and higher demand at the pumps.
📍 Why This Should Catch Your Attention: Not all Georgia towns are created equal when it comes to prices. If you’re filling up in Savannah, you’ll pay the most at $2.98. Atlanta isn’t far behind at $2.94. But if you happen to be cruising through Catoosa-Dade-Walker counties, you’re in luck—they’ve got the lowest prices at $2.68 a gallon.
🔋 And What About Electric Vehicles?: For those plugging in instead of filling up, the national average price at a public charging station holds steady at 34 cents per kilowatt hour. If you want to map out the cheapest charge, AAA’s TripTik Travel planner can help with that.
📊 The Big Picture (By the Numbers):
- Georgia’s current average: $2.94
- A week ago: $2.89
- A month ago: $2.99
- A year ago: $3.35
- Georgia’s record high: $4.49 on June 15, 2022
- National average today: $3.12
🛣️ Take Action:
- Shop around. Use tools like AAA’s Fuel Price Finder to compare prices in your area.
- Pay cash if you can—some stations charge more per gallon when you swipe a card.
- Enroll in fuel savings programs, many grocery store chains and credit cards offer discounts.
- Maintain your ride. A well-tuned car gets better mileage.
- Plan your trips. Combine errands to save gas.
- Slow down. Speeds over 50 miles per hour burn more fuel. Aggressive driving doesn’t help either.
🔮 What’s Next: Gasoline production is on the rise, averaging 9.6 million barrels per day, according to the Energy Information Administration. But crude oil prices remain a wildcard. Right now, crude inventories are about five percent below the five-year average, which could push prices up or down depending on supply and demand.
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.
