(The Center Square) – Drivers in Nevada are still paying far more on average for gasoline compared to motorists in other states.
Nevadans are paying $4.33 for a gallon of regular gasoline, according to AAA, while the national average is $3.82. The state’s average is up from $4.20 a month ago, but down from $4.99 a year ago.
Counties with the highest gas averages are Pershing ($4.64), Washoe ($4.78), Mineral ($4.86), and Esmeralda ($4.99). Lander ($4.12), Eureka ($4.13), White Pine ($4.18), Lincoln ($4.10), and Nye County ($3.98) are the counties with the lowest average prices. Meanwhile, border states Idaho, Utah, and Arizona have lower prices.
Patrick De Haan of Gas Buddy told The Center Square that Nevadans generally pay more because their gasoline is tied to refineries in southern California where the cost of doing business is more.
“That is why Nevada generally ranks in the top 5 to 7 for most expensive gasoline prices, but putting it into context, the increases in Nevada in the last month have been far below that of the national average, as has probably most of the West Coast,” De Haan said. “So, there’s nothing different right now happening in Nevada but we are seeing a national trend upward and that’s because oil prices have jumped for six straight weeks and most areas east of the Rockies have been affected by heat-related refining outages at some of the nation’s largest refineries in the Gulf states.”
“So that’s why the national average is up so much more than what we’re seeing in Nevada and the West Coast,” he added.
