Seattle-Area Gas Prices Ease Slightly, While Diesel Moves Higher

Regular gasoline edged lower in the latest Seattle-area price check, while diesel moved higher. AAA Fuel Prices reported a July 31 regular-gas average of $5.319 per gallon for the Seattle-Bellevue-Everett metro area and a diesel average of $6.311 per gallon.

These figures describe a metro average, not a Seattle-only average for every neighborhood or station. Individual pump prices may differ, so drivers should compare nearby stations before filling up.

Regular gas dips from the prior day and month

AAA’s July 31 regular-gas average fell $0.002 from the previous day. It was still $0.023 higher than a week earlier, however, and remained $0.163 below the month-ago average.

Compared with the same period last year, regular gasoline was $0.734 more expensive per gallon. The latest daily decline therefore provides only modest relief for drivers whose fuel budgets remain well above year-ago levels.

At the metro average, a vehicle with a 15-gallon tank would cost about $79.79 to fill before station-level differences.

Diesel rises and remains far above last year

Diesel moved in the opposite direction. AAA listed the July 31 metro average at $6.311 per gallon, up $0.010 from the previous day and $0.094 from the prior week.

Diesel was nearly flat compared with the prior month, when the average was $6.316, but it was $1.149 higher than a year earlier. That year-over-year gap matters most for businesses and workers who depend on diesel-powered vehicles and equipment.

Fuel-intensive operators may face more direct pressure from diesel costs than ordinary commuters. Contractors, delivery operators, landscapers, maintenance companies and other service businesses may need to watch fuel expenses when setting routes, scheduling work or estimating job costs. Restaurants and households may also face indirect transportation or delivery costs, although the current data does not document specific business or consumer reactions.

EIA provides a separate weekly benchmark

The U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Seattle weekly series, released July 28, listed regular gasoline at $5.229 per gallon for the week of July 27. That is an independent weekly benchmark, not a same-day comparison with AAA’s July 31 metro snapshot.

The difference in timing and methodology matters. EIA’s figure represents a weekly Seattle series, while AAA’s figures are daily metro averages covering Seattle, Bellevue and Everett. The two datasets should be read as related indicators of local fuel costs, not as identical measurements.

What drivers should watch

For commuters and weekend travelers, regular gas is slightly cheaper than the previous day and below its month-ago level, but it remains higher than last week and substantially higher than a year ago. Diesel is still moving higher over the shorter comparison periods, and its $1.149 year-over-year increase creates a larger concern for fuel-intensive operators.

Because metro averages can hide neighborhood-level differences, drivers may save money by comparing stations before filling up. Share the highest and lowest pump prices you are seeing around Seattle, and include the neighborhood or nearby intersection if you can.

Sources

• AAA Fuel Prices — Washington
• EIA Seattle Gasoline and Diesel Retail Prices