High gas prices will hit these states hardest, analysis finds
MILL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA – JULY 12: A customer prepares to pump gasoline into his car at a Valero station on July 12, 2021 in Mill Valley, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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(NEXSTAR) – While gas prices have stabilized in the U.S. recently, the national average for a gallon of gas remains over $1.30 higher than it was last year, AAA reports. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, AAA, and the Federal Highway Administration, SmartAsset has calculated where high gas prices are likely to impact residents the greatest.
After evaluating the estimated gas spending by residents; the one-month and one-year change in average gas prices; the percentage of households with at least one car and those with two or more cars; and the average annual vehicle miles traveled per capita; SmartAsset found states primarily in the South and Southeast will be hit the hardest at the pump.
Topping out the overall list was Alabama, where gas prices have risen by $1.40 per gallon since last year, which is more than 30 other states and the District of Columbia. The state also ranks second for the average vehicle miles traveled per capita, according to data from the Federal Highway Administration. As of Monday, AAA reports Alabama’s average price for a gallon of regular gas is $4.01.
Here are the 10 states SmartAsset’s analysis found will be most affected by high gas prices:
1. Alabama
2. Mississippi
3. Tennessee
4. New Mexico
5. Idaho
6. Montana
7. Indiana & Louisiana
9. Arizona
10. Nevada
Residents in Mississippi spend the greatest part of their income on gas at 4.71%, according to SmartAsset. California, which ranked 17th overall, has seen the largest one-year change in gas prices at $1.93.
On the other end of the list, residents in the District of Columbia are expected to be affected the least by high gas prices based on SmartAsset's analysis. The average price of a gallon of gas in the District of Columbia has risen about $1.30 over the last year, following the national trend. Residents in the district also spend the smallest amount of their income on gas at 2.54% and travel the fewest miles by vehicle each year at 4,251 - far less than Alabama's 13,801.
In addition to the District of Columbia, these 10 states were at the bottom of SmartAsset's rankings:
50. New Jersey
49. Maryland
48. Massachusetts
47. Rhode Island
46. New York
45. Minnesota
44. Colorado
43. Connecticut
42. Delaware
41. Hawaii
AAA reported Monday that the average gallon of gasoline now costs $4.24 in the U.S. While down from the record-high $4.33 hit earlier this month, that's a decrease of just a penny compared to last week.
“The global oil market reflects the volatility caused by the war in Ukraine grinding onward,” said Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson. “And with oil prices refusing to fall, the price at the pump is likewise meeting resistance at dropping further.”
To view SmartAsset's full report, click here.