California, land of oceans, trails, deadlocked commutes, sky-high real estate and monstrous gas prices.
Washington: Hold our beer.
That's right, turns out the place you usually associate with the highest gas prices in the country had to hand over its dubious crown this week to Washington State.
King County, Washington's average price per gallon of regular gas is more than $5, with some gas stations offering prices upwards of $5.50 per gallon.
The average price of gas has increased in Washington by over $1 since the beginning of the year while neighboring states Oregon and Idaho hold steady with average prices of $4.61 and $3.98 per gallon, per AAA. California's average is now $4.84 per gallon.
Why is that? The News Tribune reported geography is to blame.
“While we don’t tend to think of Washington as geographically isolated, we are as it relates to gas,” McAleenan told the News Tribune. “Because of how mountainous the Pacific Northwest is, we only have supply lines that run north to south unlike states east of the Rockies, which have supply lines running every direction.”
It doesn't help that Washington buys products from California, which is more expensive than elsewhere in the United States. Washington also has a .49 cent per gallon gas tax compared to a U.S. average of .29 cents per gallon.
CBS News reported higher gas prices are taking a toll on local businesses, like Ballard Blossom, who rely on delivery orders. Owner of the flower shop Rachel Martinez says drivers were shocked as they drove up to the pump and the place is now losing money on deliveries.
AAA reported that while most gas prices remain below 2022 levels, oil prices rose amid market optimism that summer demand may be more robust than expected, pushing prices higher than expected.
"Price increases have been capped this week despite the announcement from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, including Russia, known as OPEC+, that member nations would continue to keep their production reduction agreement from May 2023 in place through 2024, and Saudi Arabia approved an additional cut of 1 million b/d starting in July 2023," AAA reported.