Gas Prices Rise Above $5 Average, But Costs Vary Widely Among States

The average price of gas across the U.S. rose above $5 a gallon over the weekend and is still hovering over the milestone mark. As of Tuesday, the national average sits at $5.016 per gallon.

However, the difference between what Americans are paying at the pump varies greatly when broken down by state. There are now 22 states in the U.S. with average gas prices above that $5 threshold, compared to only eight earlier this month.

Among those states recently moving into $5 territory are Rhode Island ($5.014), Utah ($5.018), Maryland ($5.020), New York ($5.041), Ohio ($5.045), Massachusetts ($5.047), New Jersey ($5.054), and Vermont ($5.055).

Also paying a premium at the pumps are the states of Pennsylvania ($5.068), Maine ($5.089), Idaho ($5.127), Indiana ($5.212) and Michigan ($5.217). Washington, D.C. ($5.259) is also on the list, along with the states of Arizona ($5.350), Hawaii ($5.538), Oregon ($5.543), Washington ($5.553), Illinois ($5.556), Alaska ($5.578), and Nevada ($5.667).

California is the only state where the statewide average gas price sits above $6. As of Tuesday, the average statewide gas price was $6.438, although some areas report prices as high as $7 per gallon of regular.

Still, over half of U.S. states' gas prices are below that $5 threshold. As of Tuesday, Georgia has the lowest gas prices in the U.S. at $4.493 a gallon for regular gas, along with Mississippi ($4.525), Arkansas ($4.543), Louisiana ($4.557), South Carolina ($4.607), and Alabama ($4.632).

Also falling below the $5 threshold are Tennessee ($4.641), Oklahoma ($4.657), North Carolina ($4.668), Kansas ($4.672), Missouri ($4.682), Texas ($4.688), Iowa ($4.748), and South Dakota ($4.754). The list also includes Minnesota ($4.758), Nebraska ($4.784), North Dakota ($4.786), Kentucky ($4.788), Wyoming ($4.795), and New Mexico ($4.830).

Rounding out the list are Virginia ($4.867), Florida ($4.889), Colorado ($4.890), Wisconsin ($4.918), and West Virginia ($4.926). The most expensive states still below $5 per gallon include Montana ($4.930), Connecticut ($4.984), New Hampshire ($4.990), and Delaware ($4.994).

Inflation, along with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, caused gas prices to skyrocket around the world. U.S. consumers report major financial stress and changes in spending habits because of the current conditions with little relief in sight.