Athens County gas prices are still higher than neighboring counties, but why?

ATHENS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The summer of 2022, residents of Athens received media attention for their consistently high gas prices. More than two years later, residents are still advocating for a boycott.

Although gas is no longer $4.99 per gallon in Athens County, residents say it is still higher than in neighboring counties. More than 2,000 of Athens' and Nelsonville's combined 29,000 residents are part of the Facebook group "Boycotting Athens gas stations!" and are still seeking clarity as to why prices are so high.

"Athens is always more expensive than any other town in the area," group administrators said. "One way to get the prices equal to other towns is to simply stop shopping and buying gas at any Athens gas stations."

The group is full of photos of cheaper gas options in cities up to 45 minutes away, with members advocating for a longer drive to save on gas. Residents drive to Logan, Lancaster and even across state lines to Parkersburg, West Virginia, to save when filling up.

NBC4 compared gas price trackers to find the average reported gas prices for each of these cities.

Because pricing is set by suppliers, there is no singular factor controlling prices. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, gas prices are affected by four main components. The EIA estimates over half of the pricing is set by crude oil costs, with the rest split somewhat evenly between refining costs and profits, distribution and marketing costs, and state and federal taxes.

In Ohio, fuel tax is set at $0.385 per gallon for gasoline. In West Virginia, gasoline is taxed at $0.357, allowing Parkersburg a few cents more wiggle room in pricing.

Logan has 11 gas stations, Lancaster has 19 and Parkersburg has 21, according to Google Maps. Athens also has 11 gas stations and Nelsonville has only four. Lancaster and Parkersburg have more competition incentivizing lower prices, and Nelsonville's limited supply could be a key factor in why prices are so high.

Athens and Logan share the same number of stations, and both sit along U.S. 33. According to the EIA, gas prices are often higher if they are farther from suppliers. Gas begins as crude oil and is processed in petroleum refineries. Athens sits an hour from the nearest refineries, where Logan is under 30 minutes away from a plant outside Lancaster.

At the height of concerns in Athens, GasBuddy fuel analyst Patrick De Haan told NBC4 the prices were fueled by a lack of competition, enabling gas stations to maintain higher prices. De Haan recommended getting gas in other cities to drive down profits in Athens, as members of Boycotting Athens gas stations! are doing. He reiterated this in September to Better Call 4.

After years of boycott efforts, gas prices are less outrageous in Athens but still have higher prices, a cost that may disproportionately affect Athens County residents. According to the U.S. census, 21.6% of Athens County residents live in poverty. According to the Ohio Department of Development, Athens was the fifth-poorest of Ohio's 88 counties as of January 2024.