Gas prices in Rochester remain steady this month

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester, statewide, and national averages for gas have remained steady throughout February.

Rochester’s average on Monday was $3.46 per gallon, which is about the same as four weeks ago, according to AAA. That’s lower than the state average, at $3.49 per gallon but higher than the national average at $3.41 per gallon.

Prices in Rochester decreased by one cent this week and four cents last week but increased earlier in February, creating a stable price this winter. That’s different from last summer and fall, where prices decreased rapidly after hitting an all-time record of $4.99 per gallon in mid-June.

Prices were expected to jump up significantly, $0.22 per gallon or more, after Dec. 31 because the gas tax relief ended. The relief aimed to save consumers $0.06 at the Monroe County level and $0.16 at the state level.

However, prices kept falling for the first two weeks in January and only increased slightly in the third week. That could indicate that middlemen absorbed the benefits of the tax relief instead of consumers, which a study Institute of Taxation and Economic Policy warned about.

Rochester’s gas prices this week were the same as in Syracuse but four cents higher compared to Buffalo. Rome had the most expensive gas in upstate New York at $3.51 while Batavia took the prize for the lowest at $3.37 per gallon.

The cheapest gas in Rochester this week was $2.99 per gallon on Sunday while the most expensive was 80 cents higher, found a GasBuddy’s survey. You can find the cheapest local stations through a link to GasBuddy.

Gas prices skyrocketed in the spring and summer of 2022 because of rapid recovery from the pandemic increased the demand so high that supply couldn’t keep up. Europe’s restrictions on importing Russian oil also scrambled world oil prices, affecting the U.S. even though the U.S. imports very little Russian oil.

However, prices have dropped since then because of a more stable demand.  The average gas price is now cheaper for the state, Rochester, and nation compared to a year ago. You can explore gas price trends on the website for AAA.