Marion fuel prices higher than most
Staff writer
Motorists pay between 70 to 80 cents more a gallon at the pump in Marion than in other nearby locations.
A fuel station at Walmart in Emporia charges $2.09 for unleaded gas. Casey’s General Stores in Lyon County charges $2.15 a gallon.
According to gasbuddy.com, Cenex, the one operating station in Marion, charges $2.68 a gallon.
At several McPherson gas stations the cost per gallon is less than $2.30. The lowest cost in Hillsboro is $2.58 at Casey’s as of Monday.
Many factors affect why Marion pays more for gas, Shawn Steward, public affairs manager for AAA Kansas, said.
Probably, the top reason is competition.
When a city has only has one or two gas stations, the stations can and often charge more than stations in neighboring counties, where there is more competition.
“My understanding is in Emporia there is a Walmart selling fuel at an introductory rate,” he said.
Whether this price continues no one knows.
“The more competion you have results in prices being lower,” he said.
Casey’s General Stores, according to gasbuddy.com, reports unleaded fuel is selling for $2.15 a gallon in Emporia.
Locations with very few gas stations also pay more to haul the gas to their stations. These costs often as passed on to customers, Steward said.
A Love’s truck stop off I -135 in McPherson could have had an effect on fuel costs being lower in McPherson.
The wholesale price of crude oil also is different based on location.
Prices are set by retailers, and they often look at what nearby stations charge, he said.
In the state of Kansas the average price for unleaded gas is $2.61 a gallon, the 11th lowest in the nation.
Lyon County has the third lowest gas prices in the state with an average of $2.35 a gallon, while the McPherson’s average is $2.44.
Steward said those were averages, and fuel can be purchased at lower or higher prices.
“This is based on all of the stations,” he said.
The lowest average gas price in the state belongs to Finney County at $2.32 a gallon.
The average fuel price for the nation dropped to $2.94 a gallon a week ago.
“This is the first time since May, 2021, we have been below the $3 a gallon threshold,” Steward said.