Durham-Chapel Hill Gas Holds Near $3.86 as Diesel Climbs to $5.37

Regular gasoline remained nearly flat across the Durham-Chapel Hill metro on Friday, July 31, while diesel continued to climb. AAA listed the metro average at $3.857 per gallon for regular gas and $5.368 for diesel.

Those are Durham-Chapel Hill metro averages, not a Durham city-only station average. The figures show two different movements at the pump: gasoline is holding close to its previous level, while diesel is rising more sharply.

Regular gas is nearly unchanged for the week

AAA’s regular-gas average increased 0.8 cents from Thursday’s $3.849 and was 0.3 cents higher than the $3.854 average recorded a week earlier. The larger increases appear over longer comparison periods. Friday’s average was 23.6 cents higher than a month ago and 89 cents higher than a year ago.

For commuters and households, that means the day-to-day price may feel stable even though fuel remains substantially more expensive than it was a month ago and last year. A 15-gallon fill-up at the metro average costs about $57.86 before taxes, fees or any station-specific price difference.

Diesel rises faster and remains above $5.36

Diesel moved higher across every comparison AAA listed. The metro average rose 4.8 cents from Thursday, 13.8 cents from a week ago and 65.7 cents from a month ago. Compared with a year earlier, diesel was up $1.758 per gallon.

That difference matters beyond individual drivers. Diesel is widely used by delivery fleets, contractors, construction equipment, commercial service vehicles, buses and other work-related transportation. Higher diesel costs can create added pressure on operating budgets, delivery charges and service prices, although the local data does not establish that any particular business has raised prices.

ABC11 previously reported that Durham drivers were already feeling the effect of elevated gasoline costs, including people who depend on driving for work. The latest AAA figures suggest that households should continue watching regular gasoline, while diesel users face the steeper immediate increase.

Local prices remain below the national average

AAA’s national fuel-price page listed the U.S. regular-gas average at $4.106 per gallon on July 31, above the Durham-Chapel Hill metro average. In a July 30 update, AAA said the national average had been about $4.09 the previous week and that crude oil remained near $80 per barrel amid continued instability around the Strait of Hormuz.

National oil-market conditions provide broader context, but they do not replace the local metro figures. Station prices can vary by neighborhood, brand, payment method and how quickly individual retailers adjust to wholesale changes.

For the weekend, drivers may want to compare nearby stations before filling up, while contractors, delivery operators, restaurants and service businesses should keep a close eye on diesel-related costs. Share the highest and lowest pump prices you are seeing around Durham and Chapel Hill.

Sources

• AAA North Carolina Fuel-Price Table
• AAA National Fuel-Price Update
• ABC11 WTVD Durham-Area Gas Prices Report