Drivers across Georgia are feeling the pinch at the pump as average gas prices continue to rise.
As of Monday, Georgians are paying an average of $3.04 per gallon for regular unleaded gasoline—marking a 10-cent increase from last week, 12 cents more than a month ago, though still 29 cents lower than this time last year.
The cost to fill a standard 15-gallon tank now stands at approximately $45.60, nearly $5.00 less than what drivers paid a year ago.
“We were kind of expecting gas prices to rise in April since that’s when refineries do their tune-ups, which typically bump up the cost at the pump,” Montrae Waiters, a spokeswoman for AAA-The Auto Club Group, said. “However, there is also an unpredictable atmosphere surrounding tariffs and their impact on the global stage, which may push those prices even higher.”
National trends reflect Georgia’s surge
Nationwide, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline rose 10 cents over the past week to $3.25, driven by seasonal factors such as refinery maintenance and the shift to summer-blend fuel. This marks the highest national average since September. Despite the recent surge, prices remain below levels seen at this time last year.
New data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) show that gasoline demand dipped slightly from 8.64 to 8.49 million barrels per day, while the domestic gasoline supply also decreased—from 239.1 million barrels to 237.6 million barrels. Meanwhile, gasoline production increased to an average of 9.3 million barrels per day.
Oil Market Outlook
Crude oil prices also saw movement last week, with West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude closing at $71.71 per barrel on Wednesday—a 51-cent increase. The EIA reported a 6.2 million barrel rise in crude oil inventories, bringing the total to 439.8 million barrels, approximately 4% below the five-year average for this time of year.
With the combination of refinery transitions, fluctuating demand, and global economic uncertainty, experts caution that gas prices may continue to edge higher in the coming weeks.
