Gas Prices Climb As High As $5 Per Gallon In RI

RHODE ISLAND — Gas prices just keep climbing across the U.S., and Rhode Island is no exception. As of June 6, average gas prices in the Ocean State had reached $4.94, handily surpassing the national average of $4.86, according to AAA.

Washington County residents have the highest price to pay in the state: with a per-gallon average of $4.98, filling a 13-gallon tank would cost nearly $65. Kent County isn't far behind, though its $4.93 average is the lowest in the state. Some gas stations in RI are charging as much as $5 per gallon.

Rhode Island's average this week is a 23-cent jump from the previous week — and that's just for the cheap stuff. The average for mid-grade is $5.33 per gallon and premium is up to $5.62.

Gas prices nationwide are also soaring, as no state is showing prices below $4 per gallon. Georgia has the lowest average, coming in at $4.29, and California still has the highest average at $6.34.

Gas prices as a whole have been steadily increasing since the start of March, where the rise in gasoline prices coincides with the current situation in Ukraine caused by the ongoing Russian invasion. Other factors also weigh into the sharp increase, as crude oil is trading at $118 a barrel, which is 71 percent higher than just one year ago, and the pandemic's toll has burdened refineries who are just trying to keep up with demand as more people are going back into the office.