Retail gasoline prices in the United States last year were 2 cents a gallon higher than 2015 and 27 cents higher than 2016, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Higher crude oil prices are attributed to the increase.
The administration studied prices in 10 cities nationwide. All but one of the cities saw prices exceed $2.50 a gallon at some point during 2017, and seven of the cities saw prices exceed $3.
Prices were broken down by region.
On the East Coast, prices in Boston and New York were lowest in March, and Miami’s prices were lowest in July. The highest prices were in September. Prices regionally averaged between $2.20 to $2.73 a gallon throughout the year.
In the Midwest, Cleveland, and Chicago, prices were lowest in July and highest in September. Prices regionally averaged between $2.02 and $2.86 a gallon.
On the Gulf Coast, Houston was studied and had the nation’s lowest prices at $1.95 to $2.43 a gallon.
Denver was the only Rocky Mountain state studied. It had the nation’s second-lowest prices.
On the West Coast, San Francisco had the nation’s highest prices for 13 weeks. Beginning Nov. 1, a new California gas tax went into effect which raised the price per gallon in the state by 12 cents.