Gas prices are rising and continue to go up. According to a CNN report, in just the last week the average price of a gallon of gas has gone up 12 cents to hit a national average of $3.647, but that may not be what you are seeing in your own neighborhood. According to AAA’s “Daily Fuel Gauge Report,” you will find a wide range of gas prices around the country, with some states on the East and West Coasts reaching the highest prices and states within the central interior of the U.S. seeing the lowest.
What state can boast the cheapest gas in the U.S.? AAA lists Wyoming at $3.081 per regular gallon of gas but right behind Wyoming is Colorado at $3.115 per gallon. On the flip side, Hawaii has the highest price in the U.S. at $4.283 but stateside, California has an average of $4.203 per regular gallon of gas, making it the leader in high gas prices in the lower 48 right now. In comparison, there is just over one dollar and some change separating the highest gas from the lowest.
The high range is between $3.730 and $4.283, placing several other states in good company with Hawaii and California. Washington, Oregon, Alaska, West Virginia, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maine and District of Columbia all have prices in that particular range.
Just below those states in price are Nevada, Illinois, Kentucky, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Vermont with a high price range between $3.648 and $3.716.
In southern Illinois at least, gas prices have fluctuated over the last few days — going from $3.449 per gallon up to $3.599 (just under the state average) on Thursday.
The southeastern states and the Plains states in the center of the country seem to have the lowest prices with ranges that are staying at around $3.50 per gallon and less.
The culprit behind the higher prices at the pump is believed to be shared between steadily increasing oil prices that could be related to unrest in Iran and rising stock prices. Bottom line, though, is that the average American is having to tighten the belt and either cut back on gas usage or cut back on other spending in order to accommodate prices that seem to keep going higher and higher.