Though continuing to rise, prices at the local gas pumps still remain below the average price paid by motorists last year at this time.

The latest GasBuddy survey of 201 stations in Modesto showed that gasoline prices have risen 4.3 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $4.40/gallon as of Feb. 23. Prices in Modesto are 58.0 cents per gallon higher than a month ago but stand 22.5 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has increased 6.2 cents compared to a week ago and stands at $3.68 per gallon.

According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Modesto was priced at $3.97/gallon on Feb. 23 while the most expensive was $5.19, a difference of $1.22/gallon. The lowest price in the state was $3.49 while the highest was $8.29, a difference of $4.80/gallon.

The national average price of gasoline has risen 1.2 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.88/gallon. The national average is up 2.8 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 19.5 cents per gallon lower than a year ago, according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 11 million weekly price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country.

Neighboring areas and their current gas prices include: Stockton - $4.31/gallon, down 0.9 cents per gallon from last week’s $4.32; Oakland - $4.65, up 5.2 cents from $4.60; and San Jose - $4.58/gallon, unchanged from last week.

“Average gasoline prices continue to drift higher as crude oil trades near its highest level since last summer,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “We’re also seeing localized supply constraints, including refinery outages and disruptions along the Olympic Pipeline, which have amplified price pressures in the Pacific Northwest. These developments are unlikely to be isolated, as planned refinery maintenance is set to intensify in the weeks ahead.”

Historical gasoline prices in Modesto and the national average going back five years show the highest Feb. 23 price in Modesto was $4.62 in 2025 and the highest national average was $3.55 in 2022. Lowest average Modesto price was $3.37 per gallon on Feb. 23, 2021 and the lowest U.S. average was also in 2021, at $2.65 per gallon.

GasBuddy, a PDI Technologies company, is North America’s trusted fuel savings platform, helping consumers fuel up for less for over 25 years. GasBuddy delivers real-time prices at 150,000+ stations and is the most authoritative source of station-level fuel pricing data, updating averages 288 times daily from the broadest mix of inputs— spotter reports, direct station integrations, and transactional data.