Where you’ll pay the most for gas this Memorial Day weekend
(NEXSTAR) — Memorial Day weekend is here, which means you may be hitting the roads (or maybe the lake) before embarking on your long weekend.
Regardless of where you’re going (AAA expects 38.4 million drivers to hit the roads this weekend), a stop at the gas station is likely in your future. You could find yourself paying a hefty price at the pump, depending on where you’re traveling.
Since May 16, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline has declined across most states. The national average increased one cent to $3.61 on Thursday. Utah has seen the largest drop, going from $3.747 last week to $3.65 as of Thursday, according to AAA’s data.
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There are some states, however, that have seen the reverse. In Indiana, prices are up almost 20 cents over last week, while nearby Illinois and Ohio saw prices increase about 11 cents.
You’ll find the highest average prices for a gallon of regular gas in these 10 states as of Thursday, based on AAA’s data:
California: $5.155
Hawaii: $4.787
Washington: $4.581
Oregon: $4.346
Nevada: $4.333
Alaska: $4.328
Illinois: $4.01
Arizona: $3.876
Idaho: $3.785
Pennsylvania: $3.778
You’ll find more affordable gas in the southern Midwest and around the Gulf of Mexico. While no state has gas cheaper than $3 a gallon, on average, Mississippi isn’t far off: as of Thursday, the average price for regular fuel is $3.064.
Rounding out the 10 states with the cheapest gas were Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Louisiana, and Texas, which all had average prices below $3.20, as well as Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama, all with prices below $3.25.
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When it comes to metro areas, California cities, unsurprisingly, had the highest gas prices. AAA put Napa at the top of the list, with a gallon of regular gas going for roughly $5.516 on Thursday. The cheapest gas was some 1,400 miles away in Lubbock, Texas, where a gallon of gas will set you back about $2.957.
Compared to this time last year, average gas prices are up in most states, though only by a few cents. The nationwide price of gas is around $3.60 a gallon, about 6 cents higher than a year ago, according to AAA.
Earlier this week, in an effort to lower gas prices in the Northeast, the Biden administration released about 1 million barrels of reserve gasoline supplies. Gas prices usually rise in the summer as traveling ticks up, and can be impacted by environmental, cyclical, and global factors.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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