Thirty-nine of the gas stations with the highest prices in America, based on a gallon of regular, are in California. So it is not unusual that one of the few states with a price above $5 is there. The Chico’s station in South San Francisco has a price of $5.02
Two other stations with gasoline prices above $5 are an anomaly. Outside the Disney theme parks in Orlando, and on the way to the airport, they appear to be a “last stop” for drivers. The Sun Coasts Station in Orlando has a price of $5.95. The nearby Shell Station in Lake Bueno Vista has a price of $5.99.
Most of the stations with high-priced gas in California are in and around San Francisco or near Los Angeles, in Thousand Oaks, Studio City, Santa Clara and Pomona. Among all states, with the exception of Hawaii, California has the highest price on average of any state at $2.33, against a national average of about $1.75, according to GasBuddy.
Oil prices just dropped sharply to $29.72. A year ago, the price was nearly $65 a barrel. A main reason for the drop in gasoline prices is the sea of available oil, due in part to a flood from Saudi Arabia, and perhaps to falling demand as the global economy slows. Despite the loud protests of other OPEC members, the kingdom seems intent to keep pumping.
Oil inventory is not the only factor. Proximity to refineries is also an issue. The average gas price in states near the huge refineries south of Houston and on the Gulf of Mexico, which itself is dotted by deepwater oil drilling platforms, are some of the lowest in the nation.
Gasoline taxes by state are another factor. The average nationwide is $0.48 per gallon, according to the American Petroleum Institute. California has the fifth highest gas tax in the United States at $0.59 a gallon, which is among the reason gas prices are so high across the state. Residents face gas prices at the high end of the national average, if only for that reason.
24/7 Wall St. recently analyzed states with the highest and lowest gas taxes.
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