Columbus gas prices dropped sharply last week, giving central Ohio drivers some relief after one of the most expensive Fourth of July holiday weekends on record.
According to GasBuddy’s survey of 500 stations in and around Columbus, Ohio, the average price of gasoline fell 19.1 cents per gallon last week to $3.61 per gallon. The reported Sunday average was 51 cents lower than one month earlier, but still 73 cents higher than the same time one year ago.
Columbus Gas Prices Remain Above Last Year’s Level
GasBuddy’s Head of Petroleum Analysis Patrick De Haan said holiday weekend gas prices were the third most expensive Independence Day prices on record.
For drivers, the year-over-year increase remains noticeable. A motorist with an average midsize car and a roughly 15-gallon tank could pay about $10 to $12 more per fill-up than at the same time last year.
In the Columbus area, the cheapest station reported Sunday was priced at $3.24 per gallon, while the most expensive was $3.99 per gallon, a spread of 75 cents per gallon.
Ohio And National Gas Prices Also Decline
Across Ohio, the average price of gasoline dropped 23.8 cents to $3.57 per gallon. Nationally, gas prices fell 6.8 cents to an average of $3.71 per gallon, though that remained 63 cents higher than one year earlier.
Diesel prices also declined, falling 11.8 cents to an average of $4.76 per gallon.
Why Pump Prices Remain Unsettled
De Haan said the recent decline was encouraging, but fuel prices remain vulnerable to global supply pressures tied to international tensions involving the United States and Iran, as well as the war between Ukraine and Russia.
“Continued Ukrainian attacks on Russian refinery infrastructure have forced Russia to shift from fuel exporter to importer, tightening global supplies and putting upward pressure on crack spreads — explaining why pump prices haven’t fallen as sharply as oil prices might suggest,” De Haan said. “Until the refining supply picture improves, significant further drops at the pump may be limited.”
For Columbus and Ohio motorists, the latest drop offers short-term relief, but the market remains uncertain as refinery supply issues and global conflicts continue to influence pump prices.
