Interesting map of gas prices across the country

[slutticus]

http://www.gasbuddy.com/gb_gastemperaturemap.aspx

Why is there such a disparity between the eastern side and the western side of the Mississippi river on the northern half of the country?

Look at the difference between Missouri and Illinois :O

[shain from kane]

1. Missouri state taxes are lower than Illinois.

[slutticus]

5. So do people who live on the border drive over to Missouri for cheaper gas?

[shain from kane]

11. Cheaper gas and cheaper cigarettes in St. Louis area, and sometimes they buy fireworks and bring

them back across the line. But Illinois has strip clubs and bars that stay open later, so we get the Missouri drivers drunk on late night beers and driving on cheap gas. Or, should I say, less expensive gas.

[Solon]

31. You forgot to mention the OZ, damn that place is wild...

:party:

[DrDan]

2. seems to be an apples-to-oranges comparison unless taxes are removed

[slutticus]

8. This just shows that there are many factors affecting what people are paying.

It's not going to be comforting to someone paying >$4/gallon if you tell them "oh....that's not what you're really paying...its just taxes...."

However it would be very interesting to see a breakdown of all the costs including taxes, transportation costs, and all the middleman fees (and of course the profit margin for the refineries and the oil producers...)

[DrDan]

17. well - for example Florida - we have no state income tax

so the gap is made up in other taxes - hence our gas prices may be higher than Georgia. Just hard to compare when the pieceparts are different.

[Robbien]

3. It was surprising to learn from local news that Chicagoland has one of the highest

gas pump rates in the Country. We hit four dollars a couple of weeks ago

A bicycle is a most needed friend these days.

[bullwinkle428]

4. Funny that Arizona and Wyoming seem to stick out like sore thumbs!

Cheneyland & McCainistan...

[Speck Tater]

6. My theory on the reason for regional differences

Fuel has to be moved from the refinery to its retail destination. Places further from refineries will require higher transportation costs to get the gas to the buying public. Also, some locals get their fuel delivered via pipeline, which is cheaper than delivery by truck.

Just my theory, anyway.

[ProfessorGAC]

19. Not Sure About That

We live in an area that has Citgo, Exxon/Mobil, BP, Clark, and Shell refineries all within 50 miles of us and we're in that dark red zone. So, whether by pipe or truck, our transport costs should be among the lowest in the country. Yet, we're paying over $4.
The Professor

[slutticus]

27. Can you run 50 miles worth of garden hose?

:)

[hughee99]

30. Are you in CA?

Why are California Gasoline Prices more Variable Than others?

http://www.eia.doe.gov/bookshelf/brochures/gasolinepricesprimer/

California prices are higher and more variable than prices in other States because there are relatively few supply sources of its unique blend of gasoline outside the State. The State of California’s reformulated gasoline program is more stringent than the Federal government’s. In addition to the higher cost of this cleaner fuel, there is a State sales tax of 7.25 percent on top of an 18.4 cent-per-gallon Federal excise tax and an 18.0 cent-per-gallon State excise tax.

California refineries need to be running near full capacity to meet the State’s gasoline demand. If more than one of its refineries experiences operating problems at the same time, California’s gasoline supply may become very tight and prices can soar. Even when supplies can be obtained from some Gulf Coast and foreign refineries, they can take a relatively long time to arrive due to California’s substantial distance from those sources. The farther away the necessary relief supplies are, the higher and longer the price spike will be.

California was one of the first States to ban the gasoline oxygenate additive methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) after it was detected in ground water. Ethanol, a non-petroleum product usually made from corn, is being used in place of MTBE. Gasoline with ethanol requires changes in the way gasoline is produced and distributed. Some supply dislocations and price surges occurred in the summer of 2003 as the State moved to ethanol and away from MTBE. Similar problems have also occurred as a result of other fuel transitions.

[Richardo]

7. slutticus!

How ya be, G? :hi:

[slutticus]

10. Duuuuude! What's up!

I was just fretting about how I used to buy cheap gas in H-town. Type 94117 in the map to see what i'm paying now :cry:

How've you been?

[Richardo]

13. > $4.00. Yikes.

We're about 35 cents behind you...


Other than that, doing OK in general. Have not hung out with the Htown DU contingent nearly as much as we did in 2004. :(

[AlCzervik]

22. $4.07 here yesterday and are you ready-------$4.37 for super, that went up

10 cents a gallon in 5 days.

[Taverner]

9. Blue States get the shaft. Red States catch a break.

[hughee99]

21. Blue states have higher state taxes on gas

in general.
http://commonsensejunction.com/notes/gas-tax-rate.html

[Blue Belle]

12. I wonder if this is reflecting the jump gas prices will take...

over Memorial Day Weekend.

[Blue Diadem]

16. I think it must. Ours took a 20 cent hike yesterday to $4.19

I think the map must show the average because I know gasbuddy was up to date yesterday with the increase.

That website is a great way to know where to find cheaper gas. Gasbuddy price spotters sign up and list the gas prices at various locations as they see them.

[Blue Belle]

28. This is good to know.

Thanks for posting.

[sinkingfeeling]

14. Two things. State and/or local taxes and where pipelines and distribution terminals are located.

[proud patriot]

15. the super drk red area in California is the Sierra Mts'

[slutticus]

24. Yeah, I've seen some crazy prices up there in the winter.

And it sucks having to pay that knowing it's the only gas station around for miles.

[ProfessorGAC]

18. Sheesh! I Live in the REALLY Red Section

I mean REALLY red. Shazam!
The Professor

[zippy890]

20. Yikes- whats with Michigan's prices?

state taxes?

[defendandprotect]

23. ...but it's pretty much $4 gas everywhere --- and gouging by the oil companies . .

we need to nationalize our oil industry and take it out of the hands of private families ---

We need to get ELECTRIC CARS on our roads ---

See: "Who Killed The Electric Car?" ---

probably at your library???

[slutticus]

25. I'll take a TESLA

:)

[elifino]

26. Link to article on Chicago gas price

http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/gas.prices.taxes.2.729939.html

Bought gas in Ga. today, price per gal. was $3.69

[KamaAina]

29. Something is really, really wrong here

http://www.gasbuddy.com/GB_Price_List.aspx

no fewer than 43 mainland cities are more expensive than Honolulu! And by no means all of them are in CA, either.

If you've ever been here, and shopped for anything, you will know that such a circumstance does not exist in nature!

This points to a supply issue with the mainland refineries; we have two small ones of our own, whose primary purpose is to produce jet fuel for all those airliners.

edit: and all those Air Force jets, too, of course.

[Hangingon]

January 2007 state gasoline tax rates

Missouri = 17.6 cents Illinois = 36.1 cents

[Hangingon]

32. Dupe