Ohio gasoline prices down last week

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Average retail gasoline prices in Ohio have fallen 5.2 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.31  per gallon on Monday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 5,345 gas outlets in Ohio. This compares with the national average, which has increased 5.6 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.34 per gallon, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.

Including the change in gas prices in Ohio during the past week, prices Monday were 42 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 14.9 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased during the last month and stands 35.4 cents per gallon higher than this day one year ago.

According to GasBuddy historical data, gasoline prices on January 3 in Ohio have ranged widely over the last five years: $1.89 per gallon in 2016, $1.92 per gallon in 2015, $3.33 per gallon in 2014, $3.26 per gallon in 2013 and $3.35 per gallon in 2012.

“In 2016, motorists spent an average $2.13 per gallon on gasoline, the cheapest yearly average since 2004, and 28 cents lower than 2015; but if motorists made a resolution to pay less in 2017, they either broke it already or aren’t planning on driving for a while,” said Patrick DeHaan, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy. “While nearly 100,000 gas stations in the country were selling for $1.99 per gallon a year ago, fewer than 3,000 are today.

“Though we may see rising gas prices take a brief break in early February, we’re unlikely to come anywhere close to last year’s low levels,” DeHaan added. “Overall, the national average price of gas stands 35 cents higher than where it was a year ago on this day and the gap is likely to continue widening.”

DeHaan noted that, for the upcoming year, it’s not a rosy picture at the pump: GasBuddy’s 2017 Fuel Outlook, which is being released Wednesday, will detail when motorists will be seeing the highest prices of the year and how many more billions motorists will spend at the pump in the year ahead.