The statewide gas price average in Missouri is $2.31 for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel, according to the AAA Missouri Weekend Gas Watch. That price is seven cents more compared to this day last week and is 21 cents more per gallon compared to this day last year.
Of the major metropolitan areas surveyed in Missouri, drivers in Jefferson City are paying the most on average at $2.42 while drivers in Cape Girardeau are paying the least at $2.26 per gallon. The national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded is $2.57, which is eight cents more compared to this day last week and 13 cents more than the price per gallon at this same time last year, according to AAA Gas Prices.
The current Missouri statewide average gas price of $2.31/gallon exceeds the highest price from 2020 of $2.22/gallon on January 9th. The rising cost of crude oil, which accounts for 50% of the price drivers pay when filling up, continues to drive prices up at the pump. Gasoline demand also rose slightly on the week to 7.857 million b/d but remains down 9.9% year-over-year, according to the latest data from the Energy Information Administration.
“Drivers are feeling the impact of rising crude oil prices and cuts to production by OPEC+,” said AAA spokesperson Nick Chabarria. “How expensive gas will get this year will largely depend on if crude oil prices stay high and if demand returns to pre-pandemic levels.”
Drivers in Missouri continue to pay some of the cheapest prices at the pump, ranking 7th lowest in the country, according to AAA Gas Prices.
