Colorado has the second-lowest gas prices in the country — for now. The statewide average price is $3.16 for a gallon of regular unleaded gas, 51 cents below the national average.
The statewide average is down from $3.58 per gallon at the same time in 2023 and up about 10 cents on the month, AAA Colorado said Thursday.
“Coloradans should make the most of comparatively low prices while they can,” Skyler McKinley, regional spokesman for AAA, said in a statement.
McKinley said expectations of an upcoming robust summer travel season coupled with the federally mandated switchover to reformulated gas mean it likely won’t be long until Colorado’s gas prices climb to above the national average.
In 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency classified Denver and the northern Front Range as “severe” violators of federal air quality standards, which requires motorists to use a special blend of gasoline that reduces harmful emissions. Retailers will sell the reformulated gas June 1 through Sept. 15.
McKinley said people can expect to start seeing increases in May as refineries switch over.
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Gas prices could rise up to 20 to 30 cents per gallon, McKinley said. He attributed the current low prices in part to lackluster domestic demand and decreasing oil prices. Conflicts in the Middle East recently sent the price into the upper $80s per barrel.
The states with the cheapest gas are:
Mississippi, $3.11
Colorado, $3.16
Louisiana, $3.18
Oklahoma, $3.22
Arkansas, $3.23
New Mexico, $3.26
Tennessee, $3.26
Kansas, $3.26
Alabama, $3.27
South Carolina, $3.27
The states with the priciest gas are:
California, $5.45
Hawaii, $4.78
Washington, $4.67
Nevada, $4.63
Oregon, $4.44
Alaska, $4.37
Arizona, $4.13
Utah, $3.96
Illinois, $3.96
Idaho, $3.93
Colorado gas by the numbers:
Boulder – Longmont
• Current average: $3.08
• Year ago average: $3.53
• Highest recorded average: $4.92 (6/23/22)
Greeley
• Current average: $3.09
• Year ago average: $3.51
• Highest Recorded Average: $4.86 (6/20/22)
Denver
• Current Average: $3.11
• Year Ago Average: $3.53
• Highest Recorded Average: $4.89 (6/21/22)
Colorado Springs
• Current average: $3.12
• Year ago average: $3.53
• Highest recorded average: $4.95 (6/20/22)
Fort Collins – Loveland
• Current average: $3.13
• Year ago Average: $3.60
• Highest recorded average: $4.86 (6/20/22)
Grand Junction
• Current average: $3.16
• Year ago average: $3.45
• Highest recorded average: $4.95 (6/29/22)
Pueblo
• Current average: $3.18
• Year ago average: $3.59
• Highest recorded average: $4.96 (6/21/22)