Average gas price dips before the holidays in Georgia
In this photo illustration, a gas pump is filling up a vehicle at a Chevron gas station on December 05, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
ATLANTA - In a welcome relief for Georgia drivers, the average gas price has decreased to $2.96 per gallon for regular unleaded gasoline. This Monday's state average is 7 cents lower than the previous week, though it remains 12 cents higher than a month ago and 17 cents more than this time last year. With an average cost of $44.40 to fill a 15-gallon tank, Georgians are currently paying $2.55 more compared to the same period last year.
"AAA is forecasting that 3.3 million Georgians will drive to their holiday destinations this year, and we anticipate gas prices will continue a downward trend," said Montrae Waiters, AAA-The Auto Club Group spokeswoman. "With pump prices falling slowly each day, it is likely that the national average will slide below $3 per gallon by the end of the year."
National gas prices have seen a dip as well, with the average for a gallon of regular gasoline dropping by 9 cents to $3.06 since last Monday. This decline is attributed to lower demand and the relatively low cost of oil, currently hovering around $70 per barrel. Despite an increase in gas demand from 8.47 to 8.86 million barrels a day last week, total domestic gasoline stocks saw a slight uptick to 224 million barrels. The unusual dynamic of lower oil prices offsetting higher demand has resulted in the recent decline in pump prices. If oil prices continue to remain low, drivers can expect this trend to persist through the holiday season.
Regional variations in gas prices across Georgia show that Savannah ($3.08), Hinesville-Fort Stewart ($3.04), and Atlanta ($3.02) are the most expensive metro markets, while Dalton ($2.80), Warner Robins ($2.79), and Catoosa-Dade-Walker ($2.73) are the least expensive. As Georgians gear up for holiday travel, the dip in gas prices serves as an early Christmas gift for those hitting the road.