Sep 30, 2020 2 min read

Western Pennsylvania gasoline prices have held steady for the past three weeks.

A gallon of unleaded self-serve costs an average of $2.542 this week, up three-tenths of a penny from $2.539. That is according to a report Monday by AAA East Central, which monitors weekly prices in 23 cities and towns across the region.

This latest figure is 26.7 cents lower than it was a year ago, at $2.809.

Fuel prices in the greater Washington area rose 3.9 cents this week, to $2.483 from $2.444. That is the fourth-lowest average in the region, and represents a 33.2-cent drop since Jan. 1.

Uniontown’s average is far removed from Washington’s – it’s 12.4 cents higher. The price there bumped up by one-tenth of a penny this week to $2.607, the region’s most expensive place to fill up.

Jeannette, for the fifth straight week, has the cheapest average in Western Pennsylvania at $2.343. That’s a few cents lower than the runner-up, New Castle ($2.377).

Oil City and Warren ($2.599) share the highest average, 25.6 cents above Jeannette’s.

Pennsylvania’s average is $2.494, while the national figure remained at $2.18. That is the lowest U.S. average for the first week of October since 2016, and is 45 cents cheaper than a year ago.

Averages in 41 states, according to AAA, experienced a fluctuation of two cents or less. The largest jumps were in Florida (nine cents), Delaware (six) and New Jersey (six). West Virginia’s figure rose four cents.

The national average held on the week as demand was mostly stable at 8.5 million b/d, despite gasoline stocks increasing by 700,000 barrels.

Gasoline demand is 8.52 million barrels a day, an increase of 40,000 from last week, according to the Energy Information Administration. But current demand is 850,000 barrels a day lower than in late September 2019. Low demand is expected to lead to lower gas prices.