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This state now has the most expensive US gas, and it's not California

California has been a well-known leader in high gas prices in the U.S. in recent months, but that has changed as the summer arrives.
A fuel pump nozzle is seen at a gas station.
Posted at 10:08 PM, Jun 21, 2023

AAA has released data showing that a new state appears to have taken the top spot in the United States, for now, when it comes to high fuel prices. 

California has frequently topped the list, reaching an astonishing high of $6.29 per gallon at one point in June of 2022, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported

Well that price fell to below $5 per gallon by May of this year. 

Now, AAA says, the new high is found in Washington state, with prices jumping up by around 32 cents this past month, hovering at around $4.93 per gallon in that state.

Still, California is not far behind, as prices there reached $4.86 per gallon this month. These prices are for regular fuel. 

It's interesting to look at how the prices between the two states compare to the same time last year. 

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While the price of gas in California was above $6.00 per gallon for regular fuel around the same time in 2022, that has dropped significantly a year later, landing now at around $4.86 recently. 

In Washington, it's a bit of a different story. Last year regular fuel at the same time came in at $5.52 per gallon. Today's price for the same grade comes in at $4.93 per gallon. 

Prices in states in the West remain, still, at some of the highest levels in the country with Oregon cruising in at $4.57 per gallon for regular fuel, AAA reported. 

Further east, Illinois is the outlier among Midwest and Eastern states on AAA's gas prices map at $4.02 per gallon for regular fuel.

Gas prices in Mississippi come in at a cool $3.00 per gallon for regular fuel, which is a relief for drivers in that southern state. 

As GasBuddy reported, it is the first time since 2005 that Washington's fuel prices have been higher than both Hawaii and California.