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VALDOSTA — Gasoline prices are on the upswing not only in Lowndes County but on the state and nation levels as well.

The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in Valdosta Monday was $2.01, eight cents higher than a week earlier, according to the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report.

The lowest price reported in the Azalea City Monday was $1.89 per gallon at a West Hill Avenue store, according to the price tracking website gasbuddy.com. That excludes “buyers’ clubs” where only club members get the lowest price.

Valdosta had the fifth-highest gas prices out of the 15 Georgia markets surveyed by AAA. Only Savannah, Brunswick, Hinesville and Augusta had higher prices, while Warner Robins, Rome, Macon, Gainesville, Dalton, Columbus, Catoosa, Athens, Atlanta and Albany had lower prices.

Nationally, the average price of gasoline Monday was $2.18 per gallon, five cents more expensive than seven days earlier, while Georgia’s average of $1.99 per gallon was six cents more expensive during the same time period, according to the auto club.

“While that average will continue to increase ahead of the Independence Day holiday weekend, travelers will find pump prices about 50 cents cheaper than last year’s holiday,” said Jeanette Casselano, AAA spokesperson.

In Monday midday market action, the benchmark for U.S. crude oil for August delivery rose 19 cents to $36.68 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. It fell 23 cents Friday. The international benchmark for oil, Brent crude, gained 16 cents to $41.09 per barrel.

Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times.