Gas is over $4 a gallon in 18 states: 7 more could cross that price point soon

(NEXSTAR) – Despite efforts to lower prices at the pump, including allowing the widespread sale of a cheaper fuel, the cost of gas continues to rise in the U.S.

AAA on Thursday reported the national average sits at $4.081 a gallon for regular gasoline, up from $4.064 yesterday and $3.981 a week ago. The U.S. hasn’t seen a national average above $4 a gallon since 2022.

California, Hawaii, and Washington remain the only states where the average price for a gallon of regular gas has crossed $5. In California, the statewide average is roughly 11 cents shy of $6 a gallon. At $5.503 a gallon, Hawaii is 12 cents shy of the record $5.623 a gallon it saw in 2022, according to AAA data.

Meanwhile, 15 other states have also crossed the $4-a-gallon mark. The most expensive among them is Oregon, which sits less than four cents from a statewide average of $5 a gallon as of Thursday.

Seven states are within 10 cents of a $4-a-gallon average, per AAA. Vermont, at $3.992, is just $0.008 from tipping into the $4 range. Indiana, Rhode Island, North Carolina, Maine, West Virginia, and Kentucky........

© The Hill