People will be feeling a bigger pinch in their wallet after gas prices surged to a record high this week.
A robust Memorial Day weekend compounded with the cost of a barrel of oil nearing $120, about double from last August, the national average for a gallon of gas skyrocketed nearly 25 cents in the last week to hit $4.86. However, it’s bound to be impossible to find any gas that low across Washington state.
According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), the average cost of regular unleaded gas in Washington state peaked at the highest recorded average price of $5.40 on Monday, June 6. Diesel fuel also surpassed its previous record high with a new average of $5.99.
Washington state currently holds the fourth highest gas price average in the country trailing only California ($6.34 per gallon), Nevada ($5.49) and Oregon ($5.41). At this time last year, the average for a gallon of regular unleaded gas and diesel sat at $3.60 and $3.48, respectively in Washington state.
Angila McCluskey, who is a resident of Westport, said gas has risen so much in her area that she’s contemplated moving just to cut down on commuting.
“With my commutes to Aberdeen to drop and pick up my son from high school, as well as going to work, I’m spending over $60 in gas every few days it seems,” McCluskey said. “I love living on the shoreline, but I can’t help but think how much money I might save on gas if I was more inland. With the amount of money I spend on gas, I could probably afford to put my son in private school.”
While most gas prices in the Washington metro areas are consistently within 10 to 15 cents of the state average, Grays Harbor County is seeing prices all over the spectrum. Some of the lowest prices for regular unleaded gas in the county can be found in Aberdeen at $5.19, while some of the highest can be found in Westport at $5.79. Whether in the low spectrum or the high spectrum for gas, some people are having to make financial sacrifices to fill up the tank.
Logan Thompson, a traveler from Eastern Washington, says that until gas prices go down, he won’t be able to travel as much as he would like this summer.
“My family and I love going out to the coast a couple times every year during the summer especially because my kids love the water and the sand, but I don’t know how feasible it is when a weekend trip is costing us almost $200 just in gas,” Thompson explained.
“I hate not being able to take my kids to fun places, but I still need to be to afford the necessities at home, which isn’t cheap right now either.”
The higher than national average cost of gas in Washington stems from multiple facets in the domestic realm. While population and mass urban areas contribute to higher prices, the state’s gas tax plays a large role in the overall price. According to the federal Energy Information Administration, Washington state lists as the third highest gas tax state in the United States at more than 49 cents per gallon.
Overall, demand for gas has kept upward pressure on prices along with other factors, including the relaxing of COVID-19 restrictions and the war in Ukraine.
