Florida gas prices remain below the national average

(The Center Square) — A check of the Automobile Association of America's gas prices finds Florida's price at the pump is slightly below the national average two days before Christmas.

For a gallon of regular in the Sunshine State, the average price was $2.99, a nickel cheaper than the national average of $3.04.

The national average is nine cents cheaper than last year's price of $3.12.

Last month, the price was $3.08 per gallon, still four cents cheaper than gas was at the same time last year ($3.12). 

The cheapest gas in the Sunshine State is in Okaloosa County in northwest Florida at $2.72 per gallon, followed by Bay County (Panama City) at $2.79, Walton County at $21.81 and Escambia County at $2.83. 

The most expensive gasoline in Florida is in the Big Bend region, with Suwannee County at $3.22 per gallon and Madison County two cents behind at $3.20.

Also among the expensive counties was Hardee County in south-central Florida ($3.18 per gallon), followed by Palm Beach County ($3.16) on the Atlantic Coast and Hendry County ($3.16) in south-central part of the state. 

As far as metro areas, Fort Walton Beach-Crestview in the Panhandle had the cheapest average price for gas at $2.74, followed by Panama City at $2.80 and Pensacola at $2.84. 

West Palm Beach was most expensive at $3.16, followed by Naples at $3.12 and Gainesville at $3.10.

Among other notables, Miami had regular gas at $2.98 per gallon, Tampa was $3.01, Fort Lauderdale was $3.02, Tallahassee was at $2.95, Orlando was at $2.94 and Jacksonville was at $2.97. 

Nationally, the cheapest gas is found in Oklahoma, where the price for a gallon of regular is $2.55 per gallon, followed by Mississippi ($2.60), Arkansas ($2.65), Texas ($2.65) and Kansas ($2.68).

The most expensive gas is found in Hawaii at $4.53 per gallon, followed by California ($4.34), Washington ($3.91), Nevada ($3.61) and Oregon ($3.46).