Arizona Evades $4 Fuel, Rural Areas Already There
Phoenix, Ariz., March 29, 2012. The statewide and national fuel averages are now within a dime of the $4 mark. Statewide, prices increased 0.6 cents to $3.899 per gallon. Nationally, prices increased 4 cents to an average of $3.921 per gallon.
Though Arizona’s fuel average and major metropolitan areas have yet to reach the $4 mark, 25 rural areas across the state have already reached or surpassed this price point. This is in large part due to added transportation costs to deliver fuel to these areas. The following table below shows the five most expensive averages in Arizona:
| Rural Area | Average Price |
|---|---|
| Williams | $4.239 |
| Wickenburg | $4.146 |
| Ajo | $4.093 |
| Camp Verde | $4.082 |
| Tuba City | $4.002 |
“In times of high gas prices, rural motorists tend to feel the pinch more than urbanites,” said Linda Gorman, director of communications and public affairs for AAA Arizona. “While facing higher prices at the pump, incomes tend to be less and unemployment rates tend to be higher in these areas. In addition, rural residents also tend to drive farther for work, food and other services.”
As Americans living in both urban and rural areas continue to feel the strain of multi-year high gas prices, this morning, President Obama held a press conference to discuss his energy policy, challenging Congress to end $4 billion in tax subsidies for oil companies.
Tucson and Scottsdale hold the low and high state fuel averages at $3.729 and $3.999 respectively. Wyoming and California hold the low and high price extremes for the lower 48 states at $3.530 and $4.327, respectively. Currently, 11 states, including the District of Columbia, hold averages at or above $4 per gallon.
| City | Today’s Price | Change from Last Week | Premium | Diesel | Last Year’s Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Valley (Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Apache Junction, Queen Creek) | $3.934 | +0.1 | $4.188 | $4.186 | $3.526 |
| Flagstaff | $3.953 | +1.5 | $4.161 | $4.338 | $3.644 |
| Glendale | $3.923 | -0.2 | $4.182 | $4.220 | $3.546 |
| Peoria | $3.918 | -0.8 | $4.184 | $4.221 | $3.507 |
| Phoenix (city) | $3.925 | -0.2 | $4.185 | $4.202 | $3.545 |
| Pima County | $3.742 | +1.2 | $3.949 | $4.280 | $3.361 |
| Prescott (Tri-Cities) | $3.868 | +1.5 | $4.073 | $4.248 | $3.529 |
| Scottsdale (Scottsdale, Fountain Hills) | $3.990 | +0.4 | $4.254 | $4.247 | $3.643 |
| Tucson | $3.729 | +1.5 | $3.939 | $4.266 | $3.351 |
| Yuma | $3.964 | +0.4 | $4.163 | $4.192 | $3.646 |
| Statewide | $3.899 | +0.6 | $4.141 | $4.243 | $3.558 |
| National | $3.921 | +4.0 | $4.190 | $4.162 | $3.595 |
| E-85 | $3.313 | +2.6 | - | - | $3.045 |
| *E85 MPG/BTU adjusted price | $4.360 | +3.4 | - | - | $4.007 |
As Arizona prices continue to approach record highs, AAA encourages motorists to use price finding tools such as AAA’s, to help locate the cheapest gas near them:
- Fuel Price Finder (AAA.com/fuelfinder) locates the lowest fuel price in your area.
- AAA Gas Price Alerts (AAA.com/gasalerts) offers users weekly fuel price text alerts.
- Fuel Cost Calculator (FuelCostCalculator.AAA.com) helps budget travel expenses.
- TripTik Mobile (AAA.com/mobile) plots fuel prices along your travel route.
- AAA's Member Rewards Visa® Credit Card (AAA.com/financial/AAAvisa.htm) accumulates double points on fuel purchases.
*The BTU-adjusted price of E-85 is the nationwide average price of E-85 adjusted to reflect the lower energy content as expressed in British Thermal Units. The BTU-adjusted price is calculated and displayed as part of AAA's Fuel Gauge Report because according to the Energy Information Administration, E-85 delivers approximately 25 percent fewer BTUs by volume than conventional gasoline. Because "flexible fuel" vehicles can operate on conventional fuel and E-85, the BTU-adjusted price of E-85 is essential to understanding the cost implications of each fuel choice for consumers.
AAA’s Fuel Gauge Report includes data from gasoline stations in every Arizona community. Local prices in some communities might be higher or lower than the averages shown here. This service is updated daily by the Oil Price Information Service (OPIS) with average national, state and local prices for gasoline, diesel and E-85. Every day more than 100,000 stations are surveyed in cooperation with Wright Express for unmatched statistical reliability.