COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Save for a few ‘price cycle’ jumps, Columbus gas prices have fallen steadily since early August, from approximately $3.56 a gallon to $2.88 last week. This week, however, while gas prices technically increased, motorists may not even notice. According to GasBuddy’s survey of 500 stations in the Columbus area, the average price at the pump rose by 0.3 cents per gallon last week to maintain an average of $2.88. The current price is 5.9 cents per gallon lower than last month and 18.0 cents per gallon lower than this time one year ago. Columbus Gas Prices Tracker The cheapest gas station in the Columbus area was priced at $2.75 a gallon, while the most expensive was $3.09, a difference of 34 cents per gallon. In Ohio, the average price of gas also rose marginally by 0.4 cents from $2.82 per gallon to $2.83 per gallon. Nationally, gas prices also experienced a small decline of 1.4 cents per gallon to reach $3.01, while the price of diesel continues to hit new lows since January 2022, settling at $3.50 per gallon. Do elections influence gas prices? Columbus motorists now paying under $3 per gallon According to GasBuddy’s head of petroleum analysis Patrick De Haan, the decline in fuel prices is widespread in the United States, save for a few exceptions, due to supply and demand, and Ohio is one of 32 states across the country to see prices under $3 per gallon. “As Americans prepare to hit the road for Thanksgiving, we're seeing the lowest national average price of gasoline since 2021, with a far better economic picture than when gas prices were last this low,” De Hann said.