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. Chevron (4426 Higgins Rd, Mobile): $2.09
#2. Buc-ee's (6900 Buc-ee's Blvd (along Coosa Ave), Leeds): $2.16
#2. Speedway (1617 Finley Blvd, Birmingham): $2.16
Alaska
#1. Airport Gas & Oil (4480 Dale Rd, Fairbanks): $2.98
#2. Costco (48 College Rd, Fairbanks): $3.09
#3. Turner's Corner (8238 E Turner Rd, Palmer): $3.24
Arizona
#1. ARCO (802 W Speedway Blvd, Tucson): $2.13
#2. Costco (1650 E Tucson Marketplace Blvd, Tucson): $2.15
#3. Shell (405 W Speedway Blvd, Tucson): $2.19
Arkansas
#1. Brookshire's (1310 Constitution Ave, Ashdown): $2.06
#1. Sam's Club (1250 S Amity Rd, Conway): $2.06
#1. Sam's Club (7700 Rogers Ave, Fort Smith): $2.06
California
#1. Fast Stop (11113 Black Marble Way, Redding): $2.99
#2. Maverik (2590 North St, Anderson): $3.09
#3. Fastrip (13710 Calimesa Blvd, Yucaipa): $3.15
Colorado
#1. Shell (7273 E Evans Ave, Denver): $1.65
#2. Murphy Express (4990 E Evans Ave, Denver): $1.67
#2. QuikTrip (6477 E Evans Ave, Denver): $1.67
Connecticut
#1. Irving (543 Washington St, Middletown): $2.03
#2. Fuel Plus (708 Washington St, Middletown): $2.19
#3. Forbes Premium Fuel (289 Washington Ave, North Haven): $2.25
Delaware
#1. Costco (900 Center Blvd S, Newark): $2.47
#1. BJ's (2131 Kirkwood Hwy, Elsmere): $2.47
#3. Speedy Gas (615 Kirkwood Hwy, Elsmere): $2.49
Florida
#1. Shell (1002 N West Shore Blvd, Tampa): $2.20
#2. Costco (7795 W Flagler St, Miami): $2.29
#2. Dodge's Store (1 Eglin Pkwy SE, Fort Walton Beach): $2.29
Georgia
#1. Valero (4099 Jimmie Dyess Pkwy, Augusta): $2.05
#2. Sunoco (1833 W Hill Ave, Valdosta): $2.18
#2. The Market / Tiger Fuel (2009 W Hill Ave, Valdosta): $2.18
Hawaii
#1. Costco (94-1331 Ka Uka Blvd, Waipio): $3.54
#1. NEX (8002 Lehua Ave, Pearl City): $3.54
#1. NEX (409 Center St, Wahiawa): $3.54
Idaho
#1. A & D Mini Mart (356 E Appleway Ave , Coeur d'Alene): $2.33
#1. Smith's (937 E Main St, Burley): $2.33
#3. Exxon (201 W Appleway Ave, Coeur d'Alene): $2.34
Illinois
#1. Road Ranger (4980 S Main St, Rockford): $2.23
#2. QuikTrip (1555 Sandy Hollow Rd, Rockford): $2.28
#3. Costco (5000 Stadium Dr, Loves Park): $2.34
Indiana
#1. Conoco (2504 W Washington St, Indianapolis): $2.25
#1. GoLo (2995 Conner St, Noblesville): $2.25
#3. Casey's (560 E Northfield Dr, Brownsburg): $2.26
Iowa
#1. Casey's (2905 W 1st St, Ankeny): $1.91
#1. Casey's (1024 E 1st St, Ankeny): $1.91
#1. Maverik (165 SW Magazine Rd, Ankeny): $1.91
Kansas
#1. 24/7 Travel Store (2203 E Kansas Ave, McPherson): $1.93
#2. Casey's (705 W Kansas Avenue, Garden City): $1.94
#2. Love's Travel Stop (1500 N Jones Ave, Holcomb): $1.94
Kentucky
#1. Speedway (1847 Cumberland Falls Hwy , Corbin): $2.03
#2. Sam's Club (140 Kohl's Dr, Nicholasville): $2.07
#3. Spur Oil #6 (34 Adams Rd, Corbin): $2.09
Louisiana
#1. Sam's Club (455 31st St, Kenner): $2.01
#1. Shell (3049 Loyola Dr, Kenner): $2.01
#3. Costco (10000 Dawnadele Ave, Baton Rouge): $2.02
Maine
#1. Walmart (94 Mount Auburn Ave, Auburn): $2.42
#2. BJ's (110 Mount Auburn Ave , Auburn): $2.44
#3. Buxton Mini Mart (10 Turkey Ln, Buxton): $2.54
Maryland
#1. Sam's Club (5702 Baltimore National Pike, Catonsville): $2.34
#2. Carroll Motor Fuels (3300 W Cold Spring Ln, Baltimore): $2.35
#3. Costco (10270 Mill Run Circle, Owings Mills): $2.37
Massachusetts
#1. Global (822 Fall River Ave, Seekonk): $2.44
#1. Exxon (625 Fall River Ave, Seekonk): $2.44
#1. Fuel Spot (738 Fall River Ave, Seekonk): $2.44
Michigan
#1. Marathon (11000 Telegraph Rd, Taylor): $2.19
#2. Sam's Club (2190 N Park Dr, Holland): $2.26
#3. Sam's Club (1707 E Sherman Blvd, Muskegon): $2.27
Minnesota
#1. Spur (S Terrace, Carlton): $2.00
#2. Speedway (101 S Garfield St, Cambridge): $2.09
#3. BP (208 1st NE, Sartell): $2.10
Mississippi
#1. Sam's Club (715 Bonita Dr, Meridian): $1.99
#2. Murphy Express (5970 Goodman Rd., Olive Branch): $2.03
#2. Kroger (7427 Goodman Rd, Olive Branch): $2.03
Missouri
#1. Costco (281 N Eastgate Ave, Springfield): $1.92
#1. Sam's Club (3660 E Sunshine St, Springfield): $1.92
#1. Conoco (3405 S Campbell Ave, Springfield): $1.92
Montana
#1. Cenex (301 Jordan Ave , Jordan): $2.50
#2. Cenex (2200 W Towne St, Glendive): $2.59
#2. Sinclair (3 6th St W, Culbertson): $2.59
Nebraska
#1. NP MART (5203 NW Radial Hwy, Omaha): $1.99
#2. NP MART (3024 Ames Ave, Omaha): $2.05
#3. Casey's (1424 Dakota Ave, South Sioux City): $2.09
Nevada
#1. Smith's (1855 Wendover Blvd, West Wendover): $2.15
#2. Maverik (1020 North Florence Way, West Wendover): $2.29
#2. Pilot (1200 W Wendover Blvd, West Wendover): $2.29
New Hampshire
#1. PNB Energy (41 NH-25, Effingham): $2.20
#2. Abbott & Staples General Store (540 NH-25c, Ossipee): $2.30
#3. CITGO (1260 Province Lake Rd, East Wakefield): $2.34
New Jersey
#1. Shell (GSP MM 131 Northbound - Colonia Service Area, Colonia): $2.45
#1. Exxon (GSP MM 131 Northbound - Colonia Service Area, Colonia): $2.45
#1. Exxon (78 Garden State Parkway, Iselin): $2.45
New Mexico
#1. Picuris Travel Center (03A Puun-Na Rd, Peñasco): $2.08
#2. Murphy USA (1001 W 2nd St, Roswell): $2.09
#2. Phillips 66 (2600 W 2nd St, Roswell): $2.09
New York
#1. Totem Pole Smoke & Gas (1031 Ledge Rd, Basom): $2.30
#2. Mike's Trading Post (2342 Printup Rd, Sanborn): $2.35
#3. Jans Smoke Shop (383 Bloomingdale Rd , Akron): $2.36
North Carolina
#1. Privette's Grocery (4560 Old US-64 E, Zebulon): $2.19
#1. Shell (5445 Asheville Hwy, Fletcher): $2.19
#1. Ingles (220 Highland Lake Rd, Hendersonville): $2.19
North Dakota
#1. Costco (750 23rd Ave E, West Fargo): $2.02
#1. Fleet Farm (3730 36th St S, Fargo): $2.02
#1. Sam's Club (4831 13th Ave S, Fargo): $2.02
Ohio
#1. Casey's (102 E Main St, Union City): $1.99
#2. Clark (101 E Main St , Union City): $2.00
#3. Sam's Club (6955 Miller Ln, Dayton): $2.03
Oklahoma
#1. Murphy Express (5655 S.E. 15th St, Midwest City): $1.85
#1. OnCue Express (2917 S Douglas Blvd, Midwest City): $1.85
#1. Walmart (4900 S Sooner Rd, Oklahoma City): $1.85
Oregon
#1. Main Street Market (1810 Main St, Sweet Home): $2.69
#1. Towne Pump (890 Main St, Sweet Home): $2.69
#3. ARCO (3840 SE Belmont St, Portland): $2.75
Pennsylvania
#1. Chester Gas (1201 Kerlin St, Chester): $2.09
#2. Sheetz (1841 Baltimore Pike, Hanover): $2.54
#3. Rutter's (1009 York St, Hanover): $2.55
Rhode Island
#1. Iggy's Food Mart (292 Market St, Warren): $2.54
#2. BJ's (1450 Hartford Ave, Johnston): $2.57
#3. Sam's Market Gas (222 Admiral St, Providence): $2.58
South Carolina
#1. TD's Express (601 S Oak St, Seneca): $2.09
#1. Exxon (705 S Oak St, Seneca): $2.09
#3. CITGO (2901 E Main St, Spartanburg): $2.12
South Dakota
#1. Goode To Go (1301 River Dr, North Sioux City): $1.91
#2. Casey's (100 S Derby Ln, North Sioux City): $2.09
#3. Costco (3700 S Grange Ave, Sioux Falls): $2.14
Tennessee
#1. Costco (123 Lovell Rd, Farragut): $2.01
#2. Costco (3775 Hacks Cross Rd, Memphis): $2.02
#3. Dodge's Store (1182 W Main St, Hendersonville): $2.04
Texas
#1. Kroger (2415 W Abram St, Arlington): $1.45
#2. Sam's Club (8621 Ohio Dr, Plano): $1.89
#2. Market At Beamer (10602 Fuqua St, Houston): $1.89
Utah
#1. Shell (80 E Wendover Blvd, Wendover): $1.85
#2. 76 (885 S Park Ave, Fillmore): $1.99
#2. Conoco (1060 S UT-99, Fillmore): $1.99
Vermont
#1. CITGO (77 W Main St, Wilmington): $2.59
#2. CITGO (510 South St, Bennington): $2.65
#3. 305 South (305 South St, Bennington): $2.67
Virginia
#1. Costco (9650 W Broad St, Richmond): $2.29
#1. Sam's Club (9440 W Broad St, Richmond): $2.29
#1. BJ's (1419 Hershberger Rd NW, Roanoke): $2.29
Washington
#1. Wheeler's Kountry Korner (2421 W Wapato Rd, Wapato): $2.58
#2. Costco (301 5th St, Clarkston): $2.75
#2. 76 (61 W Wapato Rd, Wapato): $2.75
West Virginia
#1. Walmart (110 Berlin Rd, Weston): $2.18
#1. Go Mart (7 Market Place Mall, Weston): $2.18
#3. Kroger (1007 Division St, Parkersburg): $2.24
Wisconsin
#1. BP (610 US-10 E, Durand): $2.05
#2. Hometown (1445 Whiterock Ave, Waukesha): $2.08
#3. Kwik Trip (1101 Hardy St, Durand): $2.09
Wyoming
#1. Conoco (519 S Poplar St, Casper): $1.91
#2. Sam's Club (4600 E 2nd St, Casper): $1.93
#3. Flying J (41 Wyoming Blvd SE, Casper): $1.98
This story was produced by CheapInsurance.com and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.