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. Sam's Club (1401 Skyland Blvd E, Tuscaloosa): $2.28
#2. Sam's Club (29683 Frederick Blvd, Daphne): $2.34
#3. Walmart (7360 Theodrore Dawes Rd, Theodore): $2.37
Alaska
#1. Riverview Quick Stop (1316 Badger Rd, North Pole): $3.12
#2. Alaska Fuel Services (809 Cushman St, Fairbanks): $3.39
#2. Tesoro (6090 W Parks Hwy, Meadow Lakes): $3.39
Arizona
#1. Costco (1650 E Tucson Marketplace Blvd, Tucson): $2.62
#1. Walmart (2565 E Commerce Center Pl, Tucson): $2.62
#3. ARCO (3601 S Park Ave, Tucson): $2.63
Arkansas
#1. AJ's Pit Stop (15536 I-30, Benton): $2.25
#1. Brookshire's (1310 Constitution Ave, Ashdown): $2.25
#3. RP Fuel (100 E Michigan St, Stuttgart): $2.29
California
#1. Great Gas (33090 Mission Blvd, Union City): $3.45
#2. Feather Falls Mini Mart (6032 Lower Wyandotte Rd, Oroville): $3.49
#3. R Pomo Pumps (1585 E CA-20, Upper Lake): $3.53
Colorado
#1. Shell (7273 E Evans Ave, Denver): $1.83
#2. Murphy Express (4990 E Evans Ave, Denver): $1.85
#2. Murphy Express (2290 S. Parker Rd., Aurora): $1.85
Connecticut
#1. Avery Market (2 Shennecossett Rd, Groton): $2.71
#2. Xpress Fuel (338 CT-12, Groton): $2.73
#3. Shell (342 Washington Ave, North Haven): $2.74
Delaware
#1. Costco (900 Center Blvd S, Newark): $2.67
#2. BJ's (2131 Kirkwood Hwy, Elsmere): $2.74
#3. King Star (2711 Lancaster Ave, Wilmington): $2.79
Florida
#1. Sam's Club (1707 W 23rd St, Panama City): $2.37
#2. BP (4855 1st Ave S, St Petersburg): $2.39
#2. Sam's Club (740 N Beal Pkwy, Fort Walton Beach): $2.39
Georgia
#1. Sam's Club (1975 E Montgomery Crossroad, Savannah): $2.32
#2. Parker's Kitchen (1930 E Montgomery Cross Rd, Savannah): $2.42
#3. Costco (100 Cobb Pkwy, Ringgold): $2.44
Hawaii
#1. Costco (4589 Kapolei Pkwy, Kapolei): $3.59
#1. Costco (94-1331 Ka Uka Blvd, Waipio): $3.59
#1. NEX (1928 Saratoga Ave, Kapolei): $3.59
Idaho
#1. Phillips 66 (274 ID-25, Declo): $2.74
#2. Cloninger's (508 3rd St, Kamiah): $2.89
#3. Sinclair (9 E Ellis St, Paul): $2.90
Illinois
#1. Love's Travel Stop (43100 US-41, Wadsworth): $2.59
#1. Sam's Club (700 N 54th St, Quincy): $2.59
#3. Sam's Club (4334 Prospect Dr, Decatur): $2.64
Indiana
#1. Speedway (920 N Green St , Brownsburg): $2.33
#2. Circle K (301 N Meridian St, Pittsboro): $2.35
#3. Kroger (905 N Green St , Brownsburg): $2.39
Iowa
#1. Fast & Fresh (1503 4th St SE, Mason City): $2.24
#2. Sam's Club (4201 S York St, Sioux City): $2.29
#3. Murphy USA (3115 Floyd Blvd., Sioux City): $2.31
Kansas
#1. Phillips 66 (2000 Industrial Rd, Emporia): $2.19
#2. Sam's Club (3010 Larue St, Garden City): $2.24
#3. Jump Start (2000 N Buckeye Ave, Abilene): $2.25
Kentucky
#1. Dodge's Store (301 S Green St, Henderson): $2.16
#2. Murphy USA (1135 Barret Blvd., Henderson): $2.18
#2. Casey's (721 N Green St, Henderson): $2.18
Louisiana
#1. Elmwood Oasis (6025-C Jefferson Hwy, Harahan): $2.21
#2. Walmart (2750 LA-28 E , Pineville): $2.22
#2. Meraux Quik Stop (3112 E Saint Bernard Hwy, Meraux): $2.22
Maine
#1. Panda Market (651 Parker Farm Rd, Buxton): $2.69
#1. Walmart (94 Mount Auburn Ave, Auburn): $2.69
#3. BJ's (110 Longview Dr, Bangor): $2.77
Maryland
#1. Shell (4500 W Northern Pkwy, Baltimore): $2.56
#2. Carroll Motor Fuels (1717 Reisterstown Rd, Pikesville): $2.57
#3. BP (524 REISTERSTOWN RD, Pikesville): $2.59
Massachusetts
#1. Gulf (2 Washington Street, Dedham): $2.56
#2. Joe's Gas (277 Nash Rd, New Bedford): $2.58
#2. BJ's (460 State Rd , North Dartmouth): $2.58
Michigan
#1. Sunoco (8091 E 8 Mile Rd, Warren): $2.43
#1. CITGO (15500 MICHIGAN AVE, Dearborn): $2.43
#3. Mobil (6827 Greenfield Rd, Detroit): $2.45
Minnesota
#1. Stop N Go (2715 Clearwater Rd, St Cloud): $2.38
#2. Costco (3636 2nd St S, St Cloud): $2.39
#2. Costco (13669 Elder Dr S, Baxter): $2.39
Mississippi
#1. Sam's Club (10431 Old US-49, Gulfport): $2.16
#1. Buc-ee's (8245 Firetower Rd, Pass Christian): $2.16
#3. Dodge's Store (6973 Cockrum St, Olive Branch): $2.17
Missouri
#1. Halls Food Mart (2002 S Bird Ave, Joplin): $2.19
#2. Cenex (3504 S Range Line Rd, Joplin): $2.21
#3. Conoco (3405 S Campbell Ave, Springfield): $2.22
Montana
#1. Rindal's Country Corner (102 W Main St, Lewistown): $2.69
#2. Maverik (211 E 1st Ave, Plentywood): $2.79
#2. Costco (2330 US-93 N , Kalispell): $2.79
Nebraska
#1. Thompsen Oil FAST STOP Express (806 E South St, Hastings): $1.89
#1. Chris's Car Wash (907 S Burlington Ave, Hastings): $1.89
#3. NP MART (310 E Reichmuth Rd, Valley): $2.29
Nevada
#1. Golden Gate (725 Hill Top Rd, Battle Mountain): $2.79
#1. Golden Gate Petro (725 Hill Top Rd, Battle Mountain): $2.79
#3. Maverik (775 South Broad Street, Battle Mountain): $2.83
New Hampshire
#1. BJ's (210 Daniel Webster Hwy, Nashua): $2.63
#2. Penguin Fuels (130 Lafayette Rd, Hampton Falls): $2.66
#3. The Country Mile (758 Fitchburg Rd, Greenville): $2.69
New Jersey
#1. USA Gas (201 NJ-73 S, Palmyra): $2.60
#2. Costco (1055 Hudson St, Union): $2.69
#2. Costco (1280 US-22 E, North Plainfield): $2.69
New Mexico
#1. Murphy Express (221 Unser Blvd Sw, Albuquerque): $2.25
#1. Walmart (1820 Unser Blvd NW, Albuquerque): $2.25
#3. Phillips 66 (930 N Riverside Dr, Espanola): $2.29
New York
#1. Mike's Trading Post (2342 Printup Rd, Sanborn): $2.49
#2. Rez Smoke Shop (986 Bloomingdale Rd, Basom): $2.60
#2. Jans Smoke Shop (383 Bloomingdale Rd , Akron): $2.60
North Carolina
#1. Sheetz (701 Moye Blvd, Greenville): $2.29
#2. Sam's Club (2811 N Park Dr, Goldsboro): $2.34
#3. Sam's Club (1170 Western Blvd, Jacksonville): $2.38
North Dakota
#1. Costco (750 23rd Ave E, West Fargo): $2.31
#1. Sam's Club (4831 13th Ave S, Fargo): $2.31
#3. Casey's (3202 43rd St S, Fargo): $2.34
Ohio
#1. Sam's Club (6955 Miller Ln, Dayton): $2.16
#2. Sam's Club (1111 Miamisburg Centerville Rd, Dayton): $2.17
#3. Shell (5990 Youngstown Warren Rd, Niles): $2.24
Oklahoma
#1. VP Racing Fuels (1601 S Douglas Blvd, Midwest City): $1.97
#2. Casey's (9001 Se 29th St, Midwest City): $1.99
#2. Murphy Express (5655 S.E. 15th St, Midwest City): $1.99
Oregon
#1. ARCO (2815 Roosevelt Blvd, Eugene): $3.15
#1. Mobil (367 OR-99 N, Eugene): $3.15
#3. Space Age (4419 Commerce St, Eugene): $3.16
Pennsylvania
#1. Fuel On (401 W 4th St, Emporium): $2.55
#2. Costco (791 N Krocks Rd, Allentown): $2.79
#2. Gulf (2038 Easton Ave, Bethlehem): $2.79
Rhode Island
#1. BJ's (1450 Hartford Ave, Johnston): $2.74
#2. Roadrunner (2862 Hartford Ave, Johnston): $2.76
#3. American Dream Gas and Smoke S (1015 Sandy Ln, Warwick): $2.79
South Carolina
#1. Love's Travel Stop (2210 US-601 N, Pageland): $2.18
#2. Exxon (3370 US-601 N, Pageland): $2.19
#3. Walmart (337 Pinewood Rd, Sumter): $2.35
South Dakota
#1. Costco (3700 S Grange Ave, Sioux Falls): $2.31
#2. Love's Travel Stop (5303 N Cliff Ave, Sioux Falls): $2.33
#2. Casey's (901 E Benson Rd, Sioux Falls): $2.33
Tennessee
#1. Murphy USA (145 Walton Dr, Waverly): $2.17
#1. Unbranded (3135 New Horn Lake Rd, Memphis): $2.17
#3. MAPCO (100 TN-76, White House): $2.21
Texas
#1. Shamrock (10602 Fuqua St, Houston): $1.99
#2. Phillips 66 (2412 98th St, Lubbock): $2.06
#3. Fox Express (9700 Telephone Rd, Houston): $2.09
Utah
#1. Sam's Club (1055 W Hill Field Rd, Layton): $2.59
#2. Costco (573 W 100 N, West Bountiful): $2.60
#3. Walmart (735 W Hill Field Rd, Layton): $2.65
Vermont
#1. CITGO (510 South St, Bennington): $2.83
#1. CITGO (6014 Rte 5, Ascutney): $2.83
#3. Shell (129 Main St, Ludlow): $2.84
Virginia
#1. Sam's Club (215 Piedmont Pl, Danville): $2.25
#2. Murphy Express (474 Mount Cross Rd., Danville): $2.35
#2. Sheetz (3425 Riverside Dr, Danville): $2.35
Washington
#1. Costco (301 5th St, Clarkston): $3.12
#2. Yakamart (111 Fort Rd, Toppenish): $3.35
#2. Shell (921 Black Lake Blvd SW, Olympia): $3.35
West Virginia
#1. Walmart (110 Berlin Rd, Weston): $2.33
#2. Sheetz (39 Berlin Rd, Weston): $2.39
#3. Go Mart (7 Market Place Mall, Weston): $2.44
Wisconsin
#1. CITGO Waukesha (114 E Broadway St, Waukesha): $2.39
#2. CITGO (3403 S Chicago Ave, South Milwaukee): $2.40
#3. Kwik Trip (6007 Tower Ave, Superior): $2.44
Wyoming
#1. Sam's Club (4600 E 2nd St, Casper): $2.27
#2. Exxon (400 Valley Dr, Casper): $2.28
#3. Walmart (2388 E Cedar St, Rawlins): $2.29
This story was produced by CheapInsurance.com and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.