Anyone who drives a car understands the sting of having to fill up their tank and pulling into the gas station, only to discover that gas prices have skyrocketed. Paying extra for gas means you have less to spend on other things, which, over time, can really put a crimp in your budget.
Cheap Insurance explored some of the reasons behind major changes in gas prices, and compiled a list of the cheapest gas stations in every state using data from Gas Buddy.
Gas prices fluctuate based on several factors, including the cost of the key ingredient, crude oil, as well as the available supply and demand for gasoline. If the price of oil rises, a major refinery goes offline, or more drivers are hitting the road, for example, then the cost will increase.
In the first half of 2022, a unique confluence of events led to a surge in gas prices. The increased demand stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and a slowdown in oil production all contributed to a national all-time high of $4.93 per gallon on average in June 2022.
Seasons also affect gas prices. Demand tends to drop in winter, but the cost also falls because gas stations switch to a different blend of gasoline that's optimal for lower temperatures—and has cheaper ingredients.
Location also matters. The South and Midwest tend to have the lowest gas prices, while the West, including Hawai'i, has the highest. Californians, in particular, pay more for gas on average than any other state. That's because of its high state excise taxes; its isolation from the country's major pipelines, which causes supply issues; and its requirements that mandate a more environmentally friendly blend of gas that costs more to produce and adds to the price per gallon.
No matter where you live, read on to see if you can get a deal on gas near you.
Alabama
#1. Alabama National Guard (1730 Cong W L Dickinson Dr, Montgomery): $2.12
#2. Pilot (75750 AL-77, Lincoln): $2.17
#3. Circle K (1901 Finley Blvd, Birmingham): $2.18
Alaska
#1. Costco (48 College Rd, Fairbanks): $2.95
#1. Airport Gas & Oil (4480 Dale Rd, Fairbanks): $2.95
#3. Speedway (2110 Peger Rd, Fairbanks): $3.09
Arizona
#1. Maverik (150 N Highway 91, Littlefield): $2.21
#2. Costco (1650 E Tucson Marketplace Blvd, Tucson): $2.25
#2. ARCO (802 W Speedway Blvd, Tucson): $2.25
Arkansas
#1. Fast Mart (4920 Baseline Rd, Little Rock): $1.99
#2. Walmart (935-1 S Holly St, Siloam Springs): $2.07
#3. Murphy USA (2895 Hwy 412 E, Siloam Springs): $2.08
California
#1. Great Gas (2849 Watt Ave, Sacramento): $3.07
#2. Aria Gas and Food Mart (3500 Watt Ave, Sacramento): $3.09
#2. ARCO (14005 Whittier Blvd, Whittier): $3.09
Colorado
#1. Shell (7273 E Evans Ave, Denver): $1.49
#2. QuikTrip (6477 E Evans Ave, Denver): $1.51
#3. Murphy Express (4010 Lee Vance Dr., Colorado Springs): $1.73
Connecticut
#1. Costco (200 Federal Rd, Brookfield): $2.45
#2. BJ's (75 Spring St, Southington): $2.47
#3. Gulf (181 Main Street, Portland): $2.49
Delaware
#1. Costco (900 Center Blvd S, Newark): $2.47
#1. BJ's (2131 Kirkwood Hwy, Elsmere): $2.47
#3. Star (3927 Kirkwood Hwy, Mill Creek): $2.49
Florida
#1. Dodge's Store (1 Eglin Pkwy SE, Fort Walton Beach): $2.21
#2. Tom Thumb (1405 E 9 Mile Rd, Pensacola): $2.26
#3. Circle K (188 Eglin Pkwy NE, Fort Walton Beach): $2.27
Georgia
#1. Valero (4099 Jimmie Dyess Pkwy, Augusta): $2.12
#2. Sam's Club (450 Norman Dr, Valdosta): $2.17
#3. Shell (1555 Lawrenceville Hwy, Lawrenceville): $2.18
Hawaii
#1. AAFES (880 Aliamanu Dr, Aliamanu): $3.48
#1. NEX (8002 Lehua Ave, Pearl City): $3.48
#1. NEX (1326 North Rd, Pearl Harbor): $3.48
Idaho
#1. Liberty (6902 W Seltice Way, Post Falls): $2.13
#1. A-1 Smoke Shop (7200 W Seltice Way, Post Falls): $2.13
#1. Amerimart (7035 W Seltice Way, Post Falls): $2.13
Illinois
#1. Sam's Club (700 N 54th St, Quincy): $2.23
#2. Shell (6798 W 159th St, Oak Forest): $2.35
#3. Costco (825 E Veterans Pkwy, Yorkville): $2.38
Indiana
#1. Sam's Club (7235 E 96th St, Indianapolis): $2.18
#2. Costco (14747 North Pointe Blvd, Noblesville): $2.19
#3. BJ's (14490 Lowes Wy, Carmel): $2.21
Iowa
#1. Sam's Club (4625 SE Delaware Ave, Ankeny): $1.88
#2. Costco (4000 NE Spectrum Dr, Ankeny): $1.89
#2. BP (102 N Ankeny Blvd, Ankeny): $1.89
Kansas
#1. Maverik (3795 Solar Ave, Garden City): $1.91
#1. Maverik (2601 East Mary St, Garden City): $1.91
#1. Love's Country Stores (3285 E US-50, Garden City): $1.91
Kentucky
#1. Sam's Club (140 Kohl's Dr, Nicholasville): $2.07
#2. Sunoco (3775 Frankfort Pike, Georgetown): $2.12
#3. Valero (2003 Paris Pike, Georgetown): $2.15
Louisiana
#1. Meraux Quik Stop (3112 E Saint Bernard Hwy, Meraux): $1.99
#1. Sam's Club (10444 N Mall Dr, Baton Rouge): $1.99
#3. Sam's Club (2174 Martin Luther King Blvd, Houma): $2.00
Maine
#1. Walmart (94 Mount Auburn Ave, Auburn): $2.42
#2. BJ's (110 Mount Auburn Ave , Auburn): $2.44
#3. Panda Market (651 Parker Farm Rd, Buxton): $2.45
Maryland
#1. Safeway (5660 Baltimore Natl Pike, Catonsville): $2.35
#2. Costco (7601 Matapeake Business Dr, Brandywine): $2.39
#2. BJ's (1000 St Nicholas Dr, Waldorf): $2.39
Massachusetts
#1. Gulf (2 Washington Street, Dedham): $2.27
#2. Costco (200 Legacy Blvd, Dedham): $2.28
#3. BJ's (175 Highland Ave, Seekonk): $2.37
Michigan
#1. Kroger (7427 Secor Rd, Lambertville): $2.22
#2. Sam's Club (1707 E Sherman Blvd, Muskegon): $2.25
#3. Quality Car Wash & Marathon (1931 E Sherman Blvd, Muskegon): $2.26
Minnesota
#1. BP (208 1st NE, Sartell): $1.99
#1. Crown G&G (26236 Variolite St NW, Crown): $1.99
#3. Costco (3636 2nd St S, St Cloud): $2.09
Mississippi
#1. Sam's Club (715 Bonita Dr, Meridian): $1.99
#2. Sam's Club (90 Bass Pro Dr, Pearl): $2.01
#3. Sam's Club (10431 Old US-49, Gulfport): $2.02
Missouri
#1. Cenex (3504 S Range Line Rd, Joplin): $1.88
#2. Sam's Club (745 W El Camino Alto St, Springfield): $2.02
#3. Maverik (5343 S Campbell Ave, Springfield): $2.04
Montana
#1. Cenex (301 Jordan Ave , Jordan): $2.50
#2. Maverik (211 E 1st Ave, Plentywood): $2.54
#3. Conoco (3150 S Central Ave, Sidney): $2.59
Nebraska
#1. NP MART (314 W Omaha Ave, Norfolk): $1.92
#2. NP MART (3024 Ames Ave, Omaha): $1.94
#3. NP MART (400 East Norfolk, Norfolk): $1.95
Nevada
#1. Maverik (1020 North Florence Way, West Wendover): $2.01
#2. Pilot (1200 W Wendover Blvd, West Wendover): $2.15
#3. Smith's (1855 Wendover Blvd, West Wendover): $2.19
New Hampshire
#1. Seven Lakes Provisions (1260 Province Lake Rd, East Wakefield): $2.34
#2. Abbott & Staples General Store (540 NH-25c, Ossipee): $2.35
#2. PNB Energy (41 NH-25, Effingham): $2.35
New Jersey
#1. Conoco (1196 Anderson Ave, Fort Lee): $2.27
#2. Costco (650 Garden Park Blvd, Cherry Hill): $2.41
#2. Valero (3013 NJ-73 S, Maple Shade): $2.41
New Mexico
#1. Maverik (1900 South Us 54, Alamogordo): $2.02
#1. Speedway (1957 US-54 S, Alamogordo): $2.02
#1. AAFES (744 1st St, Holloman AFB): $2.02
New York
#1. Two Eagles (852 Bloomingdale Rd, Basom): $2.30
#1. Totem Pole Smoke & Gas (1031 Ledge Rd, Basom): $2.30
#3. Fast Food Express (132 Main Ave, Wynantskill): $2.35
North Carolina
#1. Mill's Market (2010 Mills Rd, Greenville): $2.09
#2. Sam's Club (2515 US-70 SE, Hickory): $2.18
#3. Marathon (208 Gateway Farm Rd, Clover): $2.20
North Dakota
#1. Sam's Club (4831 13th Ave S, Fargo): $2.01
#2. Costco (750 23rd Ave E, West Fargo): $2.02
#3. Casey's (4405 45th St S, Fargo): $2.06
Ohio
#1. United Dairy Farmers (2191 Polaris Pkwy, Columbus): $1.97
#2. Costco (1500 Gemini Place, Columbus): $1.99
#2. BP (1925 POLARIS PKWY, Columbus): $1.99
Oklahoma
#1. Murphy Express (5655 S.E. 15th St, Midwest City): $1.84
#1. Sam's Club (6521 SE 29th St , Midwest City): $1.84
#1. Walmart (4900 S Sooner Rd, Oklahoma City): $1.84
Oregon
#1. Shell (22300 SE Stark St, Gresham): $2.67
#2. ARCO (3840 SE Belmont St, Portland): $2.69
#2. Costco (3075 Hamrick Rd, Central Point): $2.69
Pennsylvania
#1. Speedway (3801 Ohio River Blvd, Baden): $2.54
#2. Sunoco (303 Duke St, Northumberland): $2.55
#2. Walmart (1730 Lincoln Way E, Chambersburg): $2.55
Rhode Island
#1. Iggy's Food Mart (292 Market St, Warren): $2.49
#2. BJ's (1450 Hartford Ave, Johnston): $2.55
#3. Roadrunner (2862 Hartford Ave, Johnston): $2.57
South Carolina
#1. Sam's Club (3812 Liberty Hwy Ste 6, Anderson): $2.12
#2. Shell (675 Gossett Rd, Spartanburg): $2.14
#2. On The Go (398 Gossett Rd, Cowpens ): $2.14
South Dakota
#1. Goode To Go (1301 River Dr, North Sioux City): $2.00
#2. Casey's (100 S Derby Ln, North Sioux City): $2.07
#3. Sam's Club (3205 S Louise Ave, Sioux Falls): $2.14
Tennessee
#1. Marathon (1200 Browns Mill Rd, Cookeville): $1.99
#2. Costco (3775 Hacks Cross Rd, Memphis): $2.01
#3. Weigel's (102 Weigels Ln, Rocky Top): $2.02
Utah
#1. Costco (573 W 100 N, West Bountiful): $2.07
#2. Sam's Club (4949 S 900 W , Riverdale): $2.12
#3. Shell (80 E Wendover Blvd, Wendover): $2.13
Vermont
#1. CITGO (510 South St, Bennington): $2.65
#2. Shell (129 Main St, Ludlow): $2.69
#2. 7-Eleven (197 VT-100, West Dover): $2.69
Virginia
#1. Sam's Club (9440 W Broad St, Richmond): $2.28
#2. Costco (9650 W Broad St, Richmond): $2.29
#2. BJ's (1419 Hershberger Rd NW, Roanoke): $2.29
Washington
#1. Shell (8391 WA-539, Lynden): $2.69
#2. Costco (301 5th St, Clarkston): $2.75
#2. 76 (61 W Wapato Rd, Wapato): $2.75
West Virginia
#1. Sam's Club (1100 Grand Central Ave, Vienna): $2.23
#2. Walmart (2900 Pike St, Parkersburg): $2.29
#3. Go Mart (2850 Pike St, Parkersburg): $2.33
Wisconsin
#1. Kwik Trip (2106 S West Ave, Waukesha): $2.05
#2. Costco (443 Pewaukee Rd, Pewaukee): $2.08
#2. Costco (15300 W Grange Ave, New Berlin): $2.08
Wyoming
#1. Sam's Club (4600 E 2nd St, Casper): $1.87
#2. Sinclair (3476 E 2nd St, Casper): $1.92
#2. Sinclair (1232 E 12th St, Casper): $1.92
This story was produced by CheapInsurance.com and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
