Gas prices are coming down across Massachusetts — but they seem to be all over the place as well.
In Boston's South End Wednesday, we found $5.59 a gallon, but in nearby Fenway, the price was $4.89. In Newton, drivers could get $4.69 gas; in Westwood, $4.49; in Lynnfield, $3.89.
The variation in prices is not a conspiracy or unique, but a function of supply and demand, said Michael Goldstein, a professor of finance at Babson College, just like you see at supermarkets.
"If we put a billboard on the side of the road saying how much milk costs at all the different supermarkets we would also notice the difference," he said.
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The average price of regular gas per gallon in Massachusetts is at $4.34, according to AAA Northeast. Last week it was $4.45 and last month, $4.75.
AAA's Mark Schieldrop said there's a healthy profit margin for gas right now. Still, he said, prices in the city tend to be higher because costs are typically greater and the supply of stations is limited.
"So if you see a price that's abnormally high, a lot of times that gas station owner doesn't necessarily have the pressure to low prices," Schieldrop said.
