Exactly how high and fast did Sacramento gas prices rise? New interactive data shows surge
Motorists have taken a big hit at the pump, especially within the last couple of months as gas prices skyrocketed.
Between January and March, gas prices within the Sacramento metropolitan area — Sacramento, Yolo, El Dorado and Placer counties — spiked by roughly $1, according to points of interest data from the American Automobile Association.
See on this interactive graph just how high and how fast prices surged:
Breaking it down
Around this time two months ago, Placer County was the most expensive county to fill your tank within the metro area at an average of $4.72 per gallon. Sacramento County was the least expensive at an average of $4.59 per gallon for regular unleaded gasoline.
And during the same time in El Dorado County, the average price per gallon was $4.69. Yolo County trailed behind by 8 cents.
But by mid-Febuary, prices within all four counties began to creep — and then surge.
By the first week of March, it cost anywhere between an average of $4.83 to $4.89 per gallon on average to fill your tank in the greater Sacramento area.
And the trend of steep gas prices continued as Placer County hit the $5 average mark within a few days. The other counties soon followed, with Sacramento County reaching the $5 average mark second a day later on March 4 for the first time, according to the graph.
Fast forward a couple of weeks and as of Friday, Placer County still has the most expensive gas in the Sacramento area at an average of $5.80 per gallon. Again, El Dorado took second place at a current average price of $5.77 per gallon.
Throughout the surge, Sacramento County (currently $5.68 per gallon) and Yolo County (currently $5.66 per gallon) remained the cheapest gas stops in the metro area, according to the graph.
California statewide gas prices
In California, the average price per gallon of regular gas was $5.80 on Friday, a record price and roughly 8 cents more than a week ago, according to AAA. The state is beating the nation’s record high average price by around $1.14.
The data used in this interactive map, collected from AAA, was last updated Friday. Here are the regular gas prices in California by county:
This story was originally published March 18, 2022 at 11:03 AM.