8 States Where Gas Now Costs $6 a Gallon or Close to It

This last weekend marked a historic moment at the gas pump — for all the wrong reasons.

The national average price for a gallon of regular gas crossed $5 for the first time ever, sitting at $5.01 as of Monday, according to AAA. But things are even worse in three states.

At least one area in each of those states now has an average gas price that tops the once unfathomable $6-per-gallon mark.

Following are the three states — and the metro areas within — where average gas prices have topped $6.

California

It’s no shock that the Golden State has the nation’s most expensive gas prices. As we have reported before, California’s gas taxes and regulations intended to protect the environment virtually guarantee that the price at the pump will be higher here than anywhere else in the U.S.

In fact, 31 metro areas in the state now have average prices for regular gasoline that top $6, with many approaching $7. Leading the way are:

• San Rafael — $6.68
• San Francisco — $6.64
• San Luis Obispo-Atascadero-Paso Robles — $6.63
• Napa — $6.62
• Santa Rosa — $6.61
• Salinas — $6.60
• San Jose — $6.55
• Oakland — $6.55
• Santa Cruz-Watsonville — $6.49
• Vallejo-Fairfield — $6.47

Illinois

You’ll need a stack of those $5 bills and pennies featuring Honest Abe if you want to fill up in the Land of Lincoln.

In Chicago specifically, the average price for a gallon of regular gas now tops $6, and it’s not far behind in other areas of Illinois. In total, four parts of the state are among the 50 most expensive places to buy gas in the country right now:

• City of Chicago — $6.07
• Chicago metro area — $5.91
• Lake County — $5.83
• Elgin — $5.66

Nevada

Gas has become pricey in the Silver State, too, with the average price of regular gas topping $6 per gallon in Reno. The city is one of two in Nevada that are among the 50 most expensive in the U.S. for gas today:

• Reno — $6.05
• Las Vegas — $5.59

5 more states heading toward $6 a gallon

In at least five other states, prices are creeping closer to the $6 mark. Those states — and their highest-priced cities for regular gas today — are:

• Hawaii: Lihue (Kauai) — $5.86
• Arizona: Scottsdale — $5.68
• Washington: Seattle-Bellevue-Everett — $5.68
• Oregon: Grants Pass — $5.67
• Alaska: Fairbanks — $5.59

For tips on saving during your next fill-up, check out “8 Bad Driving Habits That Cost You at the Gas Pump.”