Transportation

Not one California metro has an average gas price under $5. But where is it cheapest?

Not a single California metro has an average regular gas price lower than $5 a gallon.

The cheapest price the state is seeing is $5.42. And its price recently fell.

Hanford-Corcoran, located in the south-central San Joaquin Valley and about three and a half hours away from Sacramento, is the cheapest metro to fill your tank in California, according to the American Automobile Association. And it’s more than 50 cents cheaper than the most expensive California metro, San Luis Obispo ($5.93 per gallon).

After inching above $123 per barrel shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the price of crude oil has gradually fallen below $110, according to a recent AAA gas release. And if prices continue to decrease, it could potentially mean mean relief of sky-high gas prices at the pump.

“It bears reminding that the cost of oil accounts for about 50% of what drivers pay at the pump,” said AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross. “This war is roiling an already tight global oil market and making it hard to determine if we are near a peak for pump prices or if they keep grinding higher — It all depends on the direction of oil prices.”

According to AAA, Yuba City is the second least expensive metro to fill your tank in, currently costing motorists within the area an average of $5.52 per gallon at the pump. The fuel price took about a 33-cent jump from last week.

Statewide, Californians pay $5.75 per gallon on average for regular gas, also a record high price and more than a 31-cent jump from a week ago and about $1.04 more than a month ago.

Here are the other “least expensive metros to fill your tank in California,” according to AAA:

MADERA-CHOWCHILLA | No. 3

Current average price: $5.54 as of March 15

Last week’s average: $5.29

Last month’s average: $4.52

Last year’s average: $3.74

MODESTO | No. 4

Current average price: $5.55 as of March 15

Last week’s average: $5.23

Last month’s average: $4.44

Last year’s average: $3.67

CHICO-PARADISE | No. 5

Current average price: $5.56 as of March 15

Last week’s average: $5.24

Last month’s average: $4.48

Last year’s average: $3.69

FRESNO | No. 6

Current average price: $5.56 as of March 15

Last week’s average: $5.28

Last month’s average: $4.55

Last year’s average: $3.72

The data used in this interactive map, collected from AAA, was last updated Tuesday. Here are the regular gas prices in California by county:

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