The national average price of regular unleaded gasoline has hit a record high of $4.598 per gallon on Tuesday, according to AAA. Prices have either remained flat or risen every day since April 24.
Gasoline costs over a dollar per gallon more than it did on Feb. 24, when Russia invaded Ukraine, according to AAA. This is about 47 cents more than a month ago, and $1.56 more than a year ago.
What are gas prices like around the nation?
The East and West coasts are seeing the highest average fuel prices. The Midwest and South are seeing lower to medium prices, but the average is still over $4 a gallon in every state.
States with the most expensive fuel: These are the states where regular gas, on average, is over $5 per gallon, as of Tuesday, according to AAA.
- California: The average price for a regular gallon of gas is $6.06, mid-grade is $6.265, premium is $6.40 and diesel is $6.57 per gallon.
- Hawaii: A regular gallon of gas is $5.39, mid-grade is $5.58, premium is $5.82 and diesel is $5.87 per gallon.
- Nevada: Regular gas is $5.24, mid-grade is $5.46, premium is $5.67 and diesel is $5.55 per gallon.
- Washington: Regular gas is $5.21, mid-grade is $5.40, premium is $5.59 and diesel is $5.76 per gallon.
- Alaska: Regular gas is $5.19, mid-grade is $5.39, premium is $5.58 and diesel is $5.29 per gallon.
- Oregon: Regular gas is $5.16, mid-grade is $5.34, premium is $5.54 and diesel is $5.67 per gallon.
States with the cheapest fuel: These are the states with the lowest gas prices, according to AAA. However, even though regular fuel is under $5 per gallon in some states, the average diesel price in every state is over $5 per gallon.
- Oklahoma: The average price of a regular gallon of gas is $4.06, mid-grade is $4.35, premium is $4.57 and diesel is $5.12 per gallon.
- Kansas: Regular gas is $4.06, mid-grade is $4.31, premium is $4.59 and diesel is $5.16 per gallon.
- Arkansas: Regular gas is $4.11, mid-grade is $4.41, premium is $4.71 and diesel is $5.21 per gallon.
- Georgia: Regular gas is $4.14, mid-grade is $4.49, premium is $4.84 and diesel is $5.26 per gallon.
- Minnesota: Regular gas is $4.15, mid-grade is $4.38, premium is $4.73 and diesel is $5.26 per gallon.
- Missouri: Regular is $4.16, mid-grade is $4.46, premium is $4.74 and diesel is $5.15 per gallon.
Why is gas so expensive?
- Even before Russia invaded Ukraine, fuel prices were expected to increase, according to CBS News.
- While the war in Ukraine is causing a bottleneck in the supply chain, the U.S. is still feeling aftershocks of the pandemic, Deseret News reported.
- There are several factors that play into fuel costs, such as oil prices, transportation costs, refining costs, distribution and taxes, according to NBC News. The oil fields are also seeing a worker shortage and equipment shortage, which are largely due to pandemic-related reasons, leading to an increase in oil prices and thus an increase in gas prices.
- “Most of the increase has come from crude oil prices going up, and that’s because the world demand has been coming back quite strongly from the pandemic and supply hasn’t caught up,” said Severin Borenstein, an analyst for Berkeley’s Energy Institute, via CBS News.
- “Even before Russia attacked Ukraine, we were seeing the production of oil lagging. Producers in the United States are reporting they’re having a hard time getting workers to come back to the oil fields. They’re having supply chain problems with parts and equipment,” said Borenstein.