Good morning, and welcome to Gas Price Watch. Can you believe it’s only Wednesday? That really feels unfair. I don’t know about you guys, but this week is draaaaaaging.
Anyway, now that that’s out of my system, let’s talk gas prices. We’ve gone another tick in the wrong direction. According to AAA, the national average price for a gallon of regular gas now stands at $4.11. That’s up one whole penny from yesterday’s average.
Luckily for us the prices didn’t hit that magic $4.20 on this 4/20. Do people still do 4/20 stuff or is it just kinda whatever now? I don’t know.
Sorry, sorry, back to the other type of gas. Here’s a big repercussion of rising gas prices and inflation costs: people are even more hesitant to return to work in person. A new report from USA Today dives into just how much people would rather work from their own homes (I’m one of them.)
[W]ith gas prices averaging more than $4 per gallon, the cost of groceries continuing to rise, and inflation hitting a 40-year high in March, some workers are worried about how much a return to the office will cost them.
A Harris poll conducted for USA TODAY found 78% of employees were concerned about being able to afford the price of gas for their commutes to work. They were also worried about the price of food (72%), the cost of commuting by public transportation (38%), paying for a new office wardrobe (34%) and covering parking fees (33%.)
Millennials and parents with younger children were the most concerned about the costs associated with returning to the office. Among millennials, 76% were fretting about the price of gas while 73% were worried about the price of food and 49% were concerned about the cost of public transit.
Meanwhile, 83% of employees with children younger than 18 were worried about how much they’d have to pay to fill up at the gas pump, 78% were concerned about the price of food, and 62% worried about the costs of child care.
Here’s the thing though. Your bosses don’t care, and that’s just too bad.
With that, let’s take a look at today’s gas price winners and losers.
Here is the highest average gas prices in the country in order of highest price for a gallon regular:
- California - $5.70 Regular | $5.91 Mid | $6.04 Premium | $6.35 Diesel
- Hawaii - $5.24 Regular | $5.44 Mid | $5.69 (nice) Premium | $5.70 Diesel
- Nevada - $5.08 Regular | $5.32 Mid | $5.50 Premium | $5.30 Diesel
- Washington - $4.69 Regular | $4.90 Mid | $5.08 Premium | $5.52 Diesel
- Oregon - $4.67 Regular | $4.86 Mid | $5.06 Premium | $5.38 Diesel
Here is the lowest average price of gasoline in the country in order of lowest price per gallon of regular:
- Georgia - $3.72 Regular | $4.11 Mid | $4.46 Premium | $4.77 Diesel
- Arkansas - $3.73 Regular | $4.05 Mid | $4.34 Premium | $4.78 Diesel
- Missouri - $3.75 Regular | $4.02 Mid | $4.30 Premium | $4.72 Diesel
- Texas - $3.76 Regular | $4.10 Mid | $4.40 Premium | $4.77 Diesel
- Kansas - $3.76 Regular | $4.01 Mid | $4.28 Premium | $4.78 Diesel
Call out sick from work today. You’ve earned it. Tell them Andy said it was okay.