As anyone who’s gone to the pump in the past couple of years knows, filling up isn’t as cheap as it used to be. Gas prices have risen in the second half of 2023, due in large part to a drop in global oil production. In early October of 2023, the average price of gas was $3.77 per gallon, according to AAA — up 60 cents from the $3.17 average at the beginning of the year. Still, that’s lower than what consumers paid in June 2022, which saw the highest recorded average of $5.03.

Fuel prices have been soaring for a few reasons. Prior to coronavirus’s arrival in the U.S. in 2020, gas cost around $2.50 per gallon. During the pandemic, as fewer Americans were driving to work or for pleasure, the price of oil plummeted.

In 2021 people started driving and flying again, and demand for gas surged. The supply couldn’t keep up, so the price of gas increased.

Prices dropped a little in early 2022 as things started getting back to normal — until late February, when Russia invaded Ukraine. The ensuing war led to a steep increase in prices as Europe, the U.S., and other countries agreed to stop buying Russian oil.

Then, in mid-2023, Russia and Saudi Arabia announced an extension of their oil production cuts, which caused prices to jump up yet again. The U.S. Energy Information Administration expects gas prices to continue rising over the rest of the year.

Although gas prices hit new highs in 2022, that wasn’t the first time gas numbers have spiked. A look back at the average national gas price in previous decades can provide some context. So can observing how state regulations affect the price of gas in your area.

Keep reading to learn more about historical gas prices, get a sense of how things have changed over time, and learn tips for finding cheap gas in your area.

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Alabama

• Unleaded: $3.28
• Premium: $4.63
• Diesel: $4.29

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Alaska

• Unleaded: $4.63
• Premium: $5.04
• Diesel: $4.77

Image Credit: chaolik/istockphoto.

Arizona

• Unleaded: $4.59
• Premium: $5.20
• Diesel: $4.96

Image Credit: Davel5957/istockphoto.

Arkansas

• Unleaded: $3.33
• Premium: $4.11
• Diesel: $4.23

Image Credit: pabradyphoto/istockphoto.

California

• Unleaded: $5.93
• Premium: $6.33
• Diesel: $6.45

Image Credit: Spondylolithesis/istockphoto.

Colorado

• Unleaded: $3.83
• Premium: $4.43
• Diesel: $4.51

Image Credit: lightphoto/istockphoto.

Connecticut

• Unleaded: $3.77
• Premium: $4.71
• Diesel: $4.62

Image Credit: DenisTangneyJr/istockphoto.

Delaware

• Unleaded: $3.29
• Premium: $4.16
• Diesel: $4.29

Image Credit: DenisTangneyJr/istockphoto.

Florida

• Unleaded: $3.52
• Premium: $4.25
• Diesel: $4.50

Image Credit: Kasra Keighobady/istockphoto.

Georgia

• Unleaded: $3.20
• Premium: $4.11
• Diesel: $4.21

Image Credit: SeanPavonePhoto/istockphoto.

Hawaii

• Unleaded: $4.87
• Premium: $5.32
• Diesel: $5.83

Image Credit: Art Wager/istockphoto.

Idaho

• Unleaded: $4.11
• Premium: $4.56
• Diesel: $4.82

Image Credit: Sean Pavone/istockphoto.

Illinois

• Unleaded: $3.75
• Premium: $4.67
• Diesel: $4.32

Image Credit: Shelly Bychowski/istockphoto.

Indiana

• Unleaded: $3.52
• Premium: $4.48
• Diesel: $4.47

Image Credit: Sean Pavone/istockphoto.

Iowa

• Unleaded: $3.51
• Premium: $4.29
• Diesel: $4.30

Image Credit: Jacob Boomsma/istockphoto.

Kansas

• Unleaded: $3.56
• Premium: $4.19
• Diesel: $4.31

Image Credit: TriggerPhoto/istockphoto.

Kentucky

• Unleaded: $3.37
• Premium: $4.25
• Diesel: $4.31

Image Credit: Thomas Kelley.

Louisiana

• Unleaded: $3.29
• Premium: $4.03
• Diesel: $4.19

Image Credit: ghornephoto/istockphoto.

Maine

• Unleaded: $3.74
• Premium: $4.59
• Diesel: $4.51

Image Credit: Sean Pavone/istockphoto.

Maryland

• Unleaded: $3.48
• Premium: $4.34
• Diesel: $4.40

Image Credit: DenisTangneyJr/istockphoto.

Massachusetts

• Unleaded: $3.73
• Premium: $4.61
• Diesel: $4.55

Image Credit: ivanastar/istockphoto.

Michigan

• Unleaded: $3.66
• Premium: $4.67
• Diesel: $4.40

Image Credit: pawel.gaul/istockphoto.

Minnesota

• Unleaded: $3.69
• Premium: $4.42
• Diesel: $4.38

Image Credit: Davel5957/istockphoto.

Mississippi

• Unleaded: $3.20
• Premium: $3.95
• Diesel: $4.11

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Missouri

• Unleaded: $3.40
• Premium: $4.11
• Diesel: $4.19

Image Credit: Art Wager/istockphoto.

Montana

• Unleaded: $4.05
• Premium: $4.63
• Diesel: $4.70

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Nebraska

• Unleaded: $3.67
• Premium: $4.31
• Diesel: $4.30

Image Credit: Matt Bills/istockphoto.

Nevada

• Unleaded: $5.03
• Premium: $5.55
• Diesel: $5.25

Image Credit: 4kodiak/istockphoto.

New Hampshire

• Unleaded: $3.64
• Premium: $4.50
• Diesel: $4.42

Image Credit: DenisTangneyJr/istockphoto.

New Jersey

• Unleaded: $3.59
• Premium: $4.45
• Diesel: $4.52

Image Credit: Johnrob/istockphoto.

New Mexico

• Unleaded: $3.68
• Premium: $4.33
• Diesel: $4.43

Image Credit: Sean Pavone/istockphoto.

New York

• Unleaded: $3.88
• Premium: $4.73
• Diesel: $4.74

Image Credit: TriggerPhoto / istockphoto.

North Carolina

• Unleaded: $3.80
• Premium: $4.18
• Diesel: $4.33

Image Credit: Mark Howard/istockphoto.

North Dakota

• Unleaded: $3.80
• Premium: $4.48
• Diesel: $4.41

Image Credit: DenisTangneyJr/istockphoto.

Ohio

• Unleaded: $3.35
• Premium: $4.27
• Diesel: $4.36

Image Credit: Sean Pavone/istockphoto.

Oklahoma

• Unleaded: $3.51
• Premium: $4.27
• Diesel: $4.22

Image Credit: Tiago_Fernandez/istockphoto.

Oregon

• Unleaded: $3.51
• Premium: $5.18
• Diesel: $5.17

Image Credit: BruceBlock/istockphoto.

Pennsylvania

• Unleaded: $3.85
• Premium: $4.58
• Diesel: $4.82

Image Credit: Sean Pavone/istockphoto.

Rhode Island

• Unleaded: $3.67
• Premium: $4.64
• Diesel: $4.54

Image Credit: SeanPavonePhoto/istockphoto.

South Carolina

• Unleaded: $3.27
• Premium: $4.05
• Diesel: $4.30

Image Credit: SeanPavonePhoto/istockphoto.

South Dakota

• Unleaded: $3.77
• Premium: $4.40
• Diesel: $4.41

Image Credit: DenisTangneyJr/istockphoto.

Tennessee

• Unleaded: $3.30
• Premium: $4.08
• Diesel: $4.27

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Texas

• Unleaded: $3.30
• Premium: $4.04
• Diesel: $4.09

Image Credit: DenisTangneyJr/istockphoto.

Utah

• Unleaded: $4.09
• Premium: $4.55
• Diesel: $4.72

Image Credit: f11photo/istockphoto.

Vermont

• Unleaded: $3.79
• Premium: $4.62
• Diesel: $4.36

Image Credit: DenisTangneyJr/istockphoto.

Virginia

• Unleaded: $3.50
• Premium: $4.29
• Diesel: $5.67

Image Credit: ferrantraite/istockphoto.

Washington

• Unleaded: $5.10
• Premium: $5.55
• Diesel: $4.32

Image Credit: 400tmax/istockphoto.

West Virginia

• Unleaded: $3.56
• Premium: $4.24
• Diesel: $4.32

Image Credit: DenisTangneyJr/istockphoto.

Wisconsin

• Unleaded: $3.41
• Premium: $4.30
• Diesel: $4.18

Image Credit: csfotoimages/istockphoto.

Wyoming

• Unleaded: $3.86
• Premium: $4.41
• Diesel: $4.63

Image Credit: DenisTangneyJr/istockphoto.

Tips for Finding Cheap Gas Stations in Your State

There are a few ways to find the cheapest gas in the nearby area and save money on your gas bill:

• Use an app like GasBuddy to locate the lowest nearby price. The app lets drivers search by gas type, payment type, the brand of gas station, and other factors. The app also offers cashback deals, paid subscriptions, and more.
• AAA has a gas price monitoring website that gets updated every day. Drivers can search by state and country to find the best prices.
• Both Google Maps and Waze keep track of gas prices. When you search for gas stations within their maps, the price of gas at local stations will pop up. Although one can’t filter by price or automatically see the lowest price, it’s fairly easy to look around and find the cheapest option.
• Another useful app is GetUpside. The app lets users compare gas prices near them, and also earn cash back every time they fill up their tank.
• Besides the ability to buy in bulk, one of the perks of getting a Costco or Sam’s membership is getting discounts on gas. It’s often the cheapest option for club members.
• Certain days of the week tend to have lower prices. Generally, Mondays are the cheapest, followed by Sunday, while Wednesday and Thursday are the most expensive days.

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The Takeaway

Gas prices go up and down in response to a variety of global and domestic factors. But there are a few ways to source the best deals on gas and stay within your budget, including apps and membership-only retailers.

This article originally appeared on SoFi.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.

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