COVINGTON, Ga. — Residents leaving Newton County this week for the holidays can fill up at a local gas station to get some of the lowest-priced regular gas in Georgia.

Newton was among the counties with the lowest average cost for a gallon of regular unleaded gas going into the Christmas holiday, according to the latest AAA survey of Georgia gas prices.

However, the survey released today, Dec. 21, also showed Georgia gas prices had increased compared to a week ago.

The Newton County average released today was $1.995, which was lower than Metro Atlanta’s average of $2.03 and Georgia’s average of $2.04. It was well below the national average of $2.22.

The survey also showed gas prices increased as motorists traveled away from Newton County east or west on I-20.

Going east, Morgan County averaged $2.03 and Greene County $2.12. Heading west, Rockdale also averaged $1.99 per gallon but DeKalb was at $2.04 and Fulton at $2.12.

Neighboring Henry County averaged $1.999. Walton County averaged $2.001, Butts County averaged $2.014, and Jasper averaged $2.052 for a gallon of unleaded gas.

Current averages for a gallon of gas in Metro Atlanta were $2.032 for regular, $2.345 for mid-grade, $2.661 for premium, and $2.503 for diesel, the survey showed.

Georgia motorists are now paying an average price of $2.04 per gallon for regular unleaded which is 4 cents more than a week ago, 9 cents more than last month. It is also 34 cents less than this time last year.

It now costs motorists $30.60 to fill a 15-gallon tank of gasoline; that is $10.50 less than what motorists paid in April of 2019, when pump prices hit their peak of $2.74 per gallon, the release stated.

“Gas prices have increased this week, however, pump prices will still remain relatively low compared to this time last year,” said Montrae Waiters, spokeswoman for AAA – The Auto Club Group.

Since Dec. 14, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline has increased by 5 cents to $2.21. 

At the close of Thursday’s formal trading session, WTI crude oil increased by 54 cents to settle at $48.36 — about $2 more than the price at the end of last week. Crude prices rose due to a weak dollar and increasing investment based on market optimism that coronavirus vaccines will help crude oil demand recover in 2021, the release stated. 

Higher crude prices have also helped to lift pump prices, since the price of oil makes up over half of the cost of gasoline. Continued positive news about the vaccines will continue helping the domestic price of crude rise, the AAA release stated. 

The most expensive Georgia metro markets were Brunswick, ($2.18), Savannah ($2.12), and Hinesville-Fort Stewart ($2.11), all in southeast Georgia.

Least expensive Georgia metro markets were Rome ($1.97), Gainesville ($1.98), and Catoosa-Dade-Walker ($1.99), all in north and northwest Georgia.