If you’re planning a spontaneous road trip in the summer, filling up at the pump is cheaper than it is early in the season. However, some states are more expensive than others.
Learn more: Countries with weak economies vs. countries with thriving economies
Check out: 7 Reasons You Need to Talk to a Financial Advisor to Boost Your Savings in 2024
As of August 23, 2024, the national average price for regular unleaded gasoline was $3,374, according to AAA, but some states — like Hawaii and California — are over a dollar more expensive. Gas prices ranged from $4,657 for a gallon of regular in Hawaii, the highest price in the country, to $2,921 in Mississippi.
California is not far behind Hawaii, where the state’s gas tax is the highest in the country. “For every Mississippi, there’s a California that can make up for it,” Andrew Gross, a spokesman for AAA, told NPR.
Experts say better weather, global events, electric cars and an aging U.S. population are influencing the downward trend in gasoline prices. Last year, a heat wave forced Texas refineries to shut down, and Hurricane Ida shut down oil production in the Gulf of Mexico, driving up gasoline prices. But an active hurricane season this year – which meteorologists have warned about – could change everything.
“The late-season wildcards are always hurricanes,” Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, told NRP. “If a hurricane makes landfall in a refining area, that can really cause disruption.” But the further the hurricane season (between mid-August and late October) progresses without major storms, the better for consumers, De Haan added.
There has also been record oil production as U.S. demand has declined. Tom Kloza, the global head of energy analysis at the Oil Price Information Service (OPIS), said several factors could explain this change, including fewer commuters due to remote work, more electric vehicles on the road and an aging U.S. population that tends to drive less, NPR reported. Kloza noted that every million electric vehicles sold reduces demand by about 22,000 barrels per day.
If you’re planning a road trip this upcoming Labor Day weekend, here are nine states plus the District of Columbia with the highest gas prices, ranked from highest to lowest by AAA’s list.
Hawaii
-
Normal gas: 4,657 USD
-
Mid-range gas: 4,868 USD
-
Premium gasoline: $5,108
-
Diesel gas: 5,443 USD
Read more: What the upper middle class earns in different US cities
Learn more: How I went from middle class to upper middle class
Earning passive income doesn’t have to be difficult. You can start this week.
California
-
Normal gas: 4,590 USD
-
Mid-range gas: 4,809 €
-
Premium gasoline: 4,980 USD
-
Diesel gas: 4,923 USD
For you: These are the wealthiest suburbs in America
Washington
-
Normal gas: 4,189 €
-
Mid-range gas: 4,450 USD
-
Premium gasoline: 4,685 USD
-
Diesel gas: 4,473 USD
Nevada
-
Normal gas: 3,959 €
-
Mid-range gas: 4,210 USD
-
Premium gasoline: 4,442 USD
-
Diesel gas: 3,774 €
Oregon
-
Normal gas: 3,820 USD
-
Mid-range gas: 4,061 USD
-
Premium gasoline: 4,295 USD
-
Diesel gas: 3,966 USD
Try this: Here’s the salary you need in each state to actually bring home $100,000
Alaska
-
Normal gas: 3,736 USD
-
Mid-range gas: 3,941 USD
-
Premium gasoline: $4,198
-
Diesel gas: 3,749 €
Illinois
-
Normal gas: 3,717 USD
-
Mid-range gas: $4,294
-
Premium gasoline: 4,729 €
-
Diesel gas: 3,863 USD
Washington, DC
-
Normal gas: 3,631 USD
-
Mid-range gas: 4,172 USD
-
Premium gasoline: 4,556 USD
-
Diesel gas: 4,053 USD
Currently trending: This is how much income you need to be in the top 1% in all 50 states
Idaho
-
Normal gas: 3,580 USD
-
Mid-range gas: 3,827 USD
-
Premium gasoline: 4,077 USD
-
Diesel gas: 3,666 USD
Utah
-
Normal gas: 3,559 €
-
Mid-range gas: 3,804 USD
-
Premium gasoline: 4,019 USD
-
Diesel gas: 3,494 €
More from GOBankingRates
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The States With the Most Expensive Gas Prices