(The Center Square) – The average price of a gallon of unleaded gas in Wisconsin was up nearly 60 cents from a month ago at $3.21 as of Thursday, according to the American Automobile Association.
That was up from $2.96 a week ago and $2.63 a month ago but it was below the national average of $3.59. That national average was $2.94 a month ago.
A large part of the increases across the country is the impact of the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran.
Wisconsin ranked as the ninth least expensive state to purchase a gallon of unleaded gas with Kansas ($3.04), Oklahoma ($3.05), North Dakota ($3.09), Arkansas ($3.11), Missouri ($3.12), Mississippi ($3.16), South Dakota ($3.18) and Kentucky ($3.19) leading the way.
The prices are similar to 2024 prices, AAA wrote.
“Crude oil prices play a major role in what drivers pay at the pump, and prices have surpassed the $100/barrel mark multiple times in recent days,” AAA wrote on Thursday. “To help offset rising prices, the U.S. announced it will release 172 million barrels of oil from its strategic reserves over four months. The move is part of a broader effort by the International Energy Agency to release a total of 400 million barrels of oil, the largest emergency release in its history.”
