New Year Begins With Highest Gas Prices Since 2014
ORLANDO, Fla. — The new year rang in with the highest gas prices since 2014, with the national gas price average standing at $2.49 and prices across the country ranging more $3 a gallon.
High travel volumes over the holidays drove gas prices up five cents on the week. At the start of 2018, motorists in the Northeast, South and the upper Midwest are seeing pump prices as much as 13 cents more expensive than last one week ago.
“Although prices at the pump shot up over the holidays, now that the holiday season in the rearview mirror, motorists can expect gas prices to trend cheaper this month as we are likely to see a significant drop in gasoline demand,” said Jeanette Casselano, AAA spokesperson.
The nation’s top ten states with the largest yearly changes are: Alaska (up 39 cents), Montana (up 35 cents), California (up 34 cents), Oregon (up 30 cents), Hawaii (up 27 cents), Washington (up 24 cents), Wyoming (up 24 cents), Indiana (up 23 cents), Nevada (up 22 cents) and Utah (up 22 cents).
The nation’s top ten states with the least expensive gasoline are: Missouri ($2.22), Oklahoma ($2.22), Alabama ($2.22), Arkansas ($2.23), Mississippi ($2.23), South Carolina ($2.24), Texas ($2.24), Louisiana ($2.26), Tennessee ($2.26) and Kansas ($2.28).
Gas prices on the West Coast remain among the highest in the country. On the week, California (2 cents) and Oregon (1 cent) saw the largest price increases, while Alaska (2 cents), Hawaii (1 cent) and Washington (1 cent) saw the largest price decreases.
Across the Great Lakes and Central U.S., gas prices have increased as much as 10 cents on the week with four states landing on this week’s top 10 states with the largest increases: Ohio (10 cents), Michigan (8 cents), Kentucky (8 cents) and Kansas (6 cents). At $2.69, Michigan is selling the most expensive gas in the region, followed by Illinois ($2.63) and Indiana ($2.61). Missouri ($2.21) is selling the cheapest gas not only in the Great Lakes and Central states, but in the whole country.
Compared to the beginning of December, Indiana (24 cents), Michigan (23 cents), Ohio (15 cents) and Illinois (12 cents) are the only states where gas prices have increased more than 10 cents on the month.
Gas prices in the South and Southeast remain among the cheapest in the country even with pump prices jumping in every state on the week except New Mexico (down 1 cent). Motorists in Florida (9 cents), Georgia (8 cents), Texas (7 cents), Mississippi (6 cents), Alabama (5 cents) and Arkansas (5 cents) are seeing the biggest price increases in the region since Christmas Day.
Gas prices are $2.50 or more in 11 Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states: Pennsylvania ($2.74), Washington, D.C. ($2.71), Connecticut ($2.64), New York ($2.64), New Jersey ($2.56), Rhode Island ($2.54), West Virginia ($2.54), Vermont ($2.53), Massachusetts ($2.53), Maine ($2.51) and Maryland ($2.51). Motorists in every state are paying more on the week. With a 13 cent jump, Delaware saw the largest increase in the country and the region.
States in the Rockies were among the only ones to see gas prices decrease in the country on the week: Idaho (1 cent), Colorado (1 cent) and Utah (1 cent). Gas prices remained stable in both Montana ($2.58) and Wyoming ($2.43) on the week. Looking at gas prices this time last year, Montana (up 35 cents), Wyoming (up 24 cents) and Utah (up 22 cents) land on the top 10 states list with the biggest year-over-year changes.