By Paulina Cachero
Stratospheric gas prices have broken records for at least seven days with the average cost of fuel per gallon hitting $4.96 as of June 8, according to the American Automobile Association.
These eye-popping prices hit during peak driving season: Historically, Americans hit the road in earnest on Memorial Day in May, all the way through Labor Day in September.
Those road trips will be much more painful for drivers in some states more than others. Here’s where gas prices are the highest in the US.
Drivers in California are paying the most in the country, forking over an average of $6.39 a gallon. It’s also where drivers log some of the highest mileages in the US, averaging 12,524 miles a year, according to a Policy Genius analysis of data from the Federal Highway Administration.
The Golden State is followed by Nevada, where the sticker price at the pump is $5.56 a gallon, and Illinois at $5.53. Fuel prices have eclipsed the $5 mark in 16 states, including Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan and more.
While drivers are paying more in other states, people in Wyoming are driving an average of 24,069 miles a year, the highest annual mileage per driver in the country.
Gas prices aren’t likely to drop any time soon. Increased oil demand continues to outpace the global supply, which has been disrupted by Russia’s war in Ukraine — Russia is the world’s largest oil exporter. West Texas Intermediate futures have jumped 39% since the invasion began, with oil closing at $119.41 a barrel yesterday.
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com.
