Cooler but still well above normal this week

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Average gas prices in Minnesota are still climbing amid the ongoing war in the Middle East — but not nearly as high as the national average. 

The state’s average was up to about $3.52 a gallon as of Wednesday, 

; nationwide, it climbed above $4 this week for the first time since 2022.

Patrick De Haan is the head of petroleum analysis for the website Gas Buddy. He said the higher national average is driven by coastal states, where it’s relatively easy for refineries to export gas, diesel and other petroleum products overseas. That means buyers in those regions of the U.S. are competing with buyers abroad. 

But that’s not the case in the Midwest.

Avg. price for a regular gallon of gasoline

“There’s not really an easy way to export what is produced at Minnesota’s refineries,” De Haan said. “Canadian oil that Minnesota refineries use can’t really be exported in a significant way above and beyond what it normally is.”

The average price of regular gas in Minnesota has gone up about 73 cents over the past month, according to AAA — compared to a jump of about $1.08 nationwide. 

Gas prices fluctuate based on a wide range of factors, including the cost of crude oil and state and local taxes. Within Minnesota, prices vary by region. It’s up to $3.65 a gallon on average in Rochester, but still at $3.44 in St. Cloud. 

De Haan said it’s hard to predict what’s next for gas prices, but he expects the Midwest will stay below the national average.

“But Minnesota will continue to kind of follow the national trend, whether that’s up or down,” he said. 

The federal government has pulled some levers to attempt to lower gas costs, like 

 of a higher-ethanol gas blend through the summer, and putting more 

 on the market. But De Haan says the biggest factor by far is the ongoing U.S. war in Iran, and the resulting closure of the Strait of Hormuz — typically a main thoroughfare for about a fifth of the world’s daily oil supply. 

Minnesota News

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Estelle Timar-Wilcox

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Average gas prices in Minnesota are still climbing. But the national price spike is driven by coastal areas, where oil can be exported overseas.

Gas prices are displayed on a pump at a gas station

Minnesota gas prices climb — but stay well below national average

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