Gas Prices By County

[jonny]

Check out this map:

http://www.gasbuddy.com/gb_gastemperaturemap.aspx

It shows the gas prices in the US by county. I was looking to find out why Utah is so cheap compared to everyone else. This is all I could find:

"They actually produce oil, and they have access to pipelines that bring the product in, so they don't necessarily have higher costs just because they are landlocked," said Severin Bornstein, an energy expert from the University of California at Berkeley.

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/Business/story?id=1880981

Anyone know anything more about this?

 

[jonny]

Here is another article I found:

Mountain West states Wyoming, Idaho and Montana followed Utah in having the nation's lowest gas prices. All four states have two things in common: close access to fuel from Wyoming and Canada that reduces transportation costs and high elevations that make it possible to use lower-grade gas. Regular gas is typically rated 87 octane in much of the country, but in Utah it's typically sold as 85 octane.

But AAA of Utah spokeswoman Rolayne Fairclough said that prices in Utah likely won't increase as much as they will in the rest of the country.


"The Intermountain West is just a different market from the rest of country. We're isolated. We have our own supply and refineries. We don't have the imports coming from the coast," she said.


That isolation proves beneficial to consumers, said John Hill, executive director of the Utah Petroleum Marketers and Retailers Association.


"One good thing is that we have five independent refineries in North Salt Lake, so we're kind of an isolated market in that regard. We get product mostly out of Wyoming, so we're not part of the Gulf Coast downflow. Those are the big pluses," Hill said.

http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/175247/4/

 

[Booko]

Check out this map:

http://www.gasbuddy.com/gb_gastemperaturemap.aspx

It shows the gas prices in the US by county. I was looking to find out why Utah is so cheap compared to everyone else. This is all I could find:



http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/Business/story?id=1880981

Anyone know anything more about this?

It may have to do with the particular type of "blend" that is allowed in your state. California always has higher gas prices, because they are very particular about the types of blends allowed in the state. Very likely, where you are it's not such a huge deal. After all, the Mountain West doesn't have the population density of California.

We have locally cheap gas in Atlanta, mostly because of access to pipelines from the Gulf, and the fact that the fuel dump is maybe 2 miles from my house. It went sky-high after Katrina because of disruption to the pipeline, but has finally settled down into just normal "rip off consumers" mode.

Michigan has slightly higher gas prices, even though they produce oil. But they have to ship their oil to refineries and then ship it back, so that adds to the cost. They also have particular fuel blends they allow, though nowhere near as restrictive as California.

The gas business is complicated. The only thing you can know for sure is that when a gas company exec opens his mouth: he's lying.

 

[Valjean]

How come some of the big, East-coast cities don't appear, while smaller, Western cities do?
And why do some states have huge, irregularly-shaped counties, while others have small, regular squares?

And why do I notice such irregularities on a map illustrating a completely unrelated variable?

 

[Booko]

How come some of the big, East-coast cities don't appear, while smaller, Western cities do?
And why do some states have huge, irregularly-shaped counties, while others have small, regular squares?

And why do I notice such irregularities on a map illustrating a completely unrelated variable?

It's all Thomas Jefferson's fault.

 

[CaptainXeroid]

...We have locally cheap gas in Atlanta, mostly because of access to pipelines from the Gulf, and the fact that the fuel dump is maybe 2 miles from my house...

I pass those fuel dumps on my way to the MARTA station each morning. For many years, we also used to have lower gas taxes than neighboring states, and we are still lower than Florida. That's why the stations around Valdosta advertise so heavily...."LAST CHANCE FOR CHEAP GAS" :biglaugh:

Thanks for posting the map jonny. Very interesting. BTW...building on what Seyorni said, anyone else notice that GA has TONS of itty-bitty little counties? I read somewhere that we have more counties than any other state.:banghead3 Maybe one day I will get that bored and do empirical research....or not.

 

[Booko]

I pass those fuel dumps on my way to the MARTA station each morning. For many years, we also used to have lower gas taxes than neighboring states, and we are still lower than Florida. That's why the stations around Valdosta advertise so heavily...."LAST CHANCE FOR CHEAP GAS"

Doraville station, huh? Well, WAVE on your way by, bubba!

I figured you'd know, living in Tucker and all. I'm crammed between Chamblee & Dunwoody, so we're practically neighbors. I seem to hang out at the Home Depot on Tilly Mill all the time. Y'all come. haha

Thanks for posting the map jonny. Very interesting. BTW...building on what Seyorni said, anyone else notice that GA has TONS of itty-bitty little counties? I read somewhere that we have more counties than any other state.:banghead3 Maybe one day I will get that bored and do empirical research....or not.

Lord knows we need LOTS of tiny counties in Jawja. I mean, there are so many people out there hunting for a little fiefdom of their very own, y'know? :help:

Speaking of fiefdoms and trying desperately to get this back on topic, we could save a LOT of gas if the counties in Atlanta weren't working so hard against each other to ensure the traffic is as CFed as possible. aargh

 

[jonny]

How come some of the big, East-coast cities don't appear, while smaller, Western cities do?
And why do some states have huge, irregularly-shaped counties, while others have small, regular squares?

And why do I notice such irregularities on a map illustrating a completely unrelated variable?

It looks like those texans just got out a ruler and started drawing lines when they made counties.

 

[Draka]

Last night I believe gas was still at $2.85 for mid-grade, 89 octane (which is the cheap grade here). 87 is a bit higher and 91 is about 10 cents higher per gallon I believe. But then, I haven't been out yet to see what the gas is today. Shoot...it changes sometimes 2 or 3 times a day around here.

 

[CaptainXeroid]

Doraville station, huh? Well, WAVE on your way by, bubba!...

OK

My wife used to work at a law firm on that access road between Tilly Mill & Winters Chapel, so we've probably passed each other along the way. I'll wave with all 5 fingers so you'll know it's me.

...Speaking of fiefdoms and trying desperately to get this back on topic, we could save a LOT of gas if the counties in Atlanta weren't working so hard against each other to ensure the traffic is as CFed as possible. aargh

Yes...back on topic..yes, excellent points about fiefdoms and local municipalities not working together. IMHO, traffic congestion and therefore automobile emissions would be greatly reduced if the DOT would do some simple traffic studies and re-time the traffic lights.:149: If I had a dime for every time I wait at a red light only to see the next green light turn red before traffic can get to it , I could afford another tank of gas.:banghead3

 

[Booko]

OK

My wife used to work at a law firm on that access road between Tilly Mill & Winters Chapel, so we've probably passed each other along the way. I'll wave with all 5 fingers so you'll know it's me.

Hey, cool. I wave on my way by today. We're out hunting...for plants. Though the Home Depot is not a very good source any more. They changed managers 3 years ago, and now like all those stores, you have someone running it who doesn't know what they're selling. Sheesh, I could get all my Master Gardener volunteer hours for the years just by standing around those places and answering questions for all their customers.

Yes...back on topic..yes, excellent points about fiefdoms and local municipalities not working together. IMHO, traffic congestion and therefore automobile emissions would be greatly reduced if the DOT would do some simple traffic studies and re-time the traffic lights.:149: If I had a dime for every time I wait at a red light only to see the next green light turn red before traffic can get to it , I could afford another tank of gas.:banghead3

Yes...ah...on topic. According to what I read last year, they claim they did in my area (P'tree Industrial). I haven't noticed anything different. It doesn't help that the growth is happening on the fringes of neighborhoods (they're building $700K houses near me???), but the roads are still the same size. No wonder there are times when you can't move in front of Chamblee HS unless you're on foot.

Anyway, gas prices. Are you members of BJ's Warehouse? We joined up a while back and their gas prices are usually a few cents cheaper than the cheapest you can get anywhere else. Although keep your eyes open, because that QT at Winter's Chapel and P'tree is sometimes cheaper yet.

 

[Mister_T]

Last night I believe gas was still at $2.85 for mid-grade, 89 octane (which is the cheap grade here). 87 is a bit higher and 91 is about 10 cents higher per gallon I believe. But then, I haven't been out yet to see what the gas is today. Shoot...it changes sometimes 2 or 3 times a day around here.

$2.85?! for mid-grade?!! I wish it was that cheap over here. Regular is $3.20 and unfortunatley, you need a car to get anywhere in L.A. county in a reasonable amount of time. We don't have the luxury of mass transit like New York (we're far to spread out). They should be waving a pirate flag above those prices (what I woulodn't give for a pirate smiley right now).

 

[Buttercup]

When I gassed up last night it was $2.91. Oregon is one of the few states, if not the only state, where it's illegal to pump your own gas. So, our prices tend to me a bit higher than average. But, it's worth it to me to not have to pump it!

 

[Feathers in Hair]

Iowa's is usually a bit cheaper due to ethanol.