California drivers are once again paying the highest gas prices in the nation, and the numbers are getting hard to ignore.
As of this week, the statewide average for a gallon of regular unleaded has surged to $5.84, according to AAA data. That puts California drivers nearly $2 above the national average of $3.93, a gap that has widened dramatically over the past month.
In Los Angeles County alone, prices are pushing toward $6 a gallon, with some downtown LA stations already charging close to $9 per gallon for regular grade.
California’s average has climbed more than 80 cents in just the past month, and the trend shows no signs of reversing quickly.
Why California Pays So Much More
The reasons California gas prices stay elevated above the rest of the country come down to a few compounding factors.
- The state runs on a specially formulated fuel blend required by the California Air Resources Board, which costs more to produce and limits how much supply can come from out-of-state refineries.
- On top of that, California’s state tax on gasoline sits at 61.2 cents per gallon, one of the highest in the country alongside additional fees tied to the state’s cap-and-trade and Low Carbon Fuel Standard programs.
Then there’s the global picture. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has rattled oil markets, with disruptions near the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane for global oil supply, sending crude prices higher and filtering directly into what drivers pay at the pump.
How High Could Prices Go?
Energy analysts are not ruling out further increases. Some experts have pointed to a scenario where California prices could push toward $10 per gallon if the conflict escalates and crude supply tightens further. That may sound extreme, but California has come close before; the statewide record sits at just over $6.40 a gallon, set in October 2022.
For now, drivers are adapting. Lines at Costco gas stations have been reported across the state as motorists search for any savings they can find. Others are only partially filling their tanks, hoping for relief that experts say is unlikely in the short term.
The bottom line for California drivers this week: fill up strategically, check GasBuddy before you stop, and brace for prices that may not come down soon.
Source: AAA, Auto Club of Southern California, California Energy Commission