Gas prices just hit $7 a gallon in this California county. Where to fill up for less
Don’t be surprised if your next trip to the gas station costs even more.
Gas prices have climbed in all 50 states, with California once again leading the nation with the highest prices, according to price-tracking website GasBuddy.
“Gasoline prices rose in every state over the last week,” Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said in a Monday, May 4, news release. “At the same time, diesel prices surged to new records in parts of the region, with some areas touching the $6-per-gallon mark.”
Prices are now at their highest levels in about four years, surpassing $6 per gallon in California, according to AAA.
As costs continue to rise nationwide, here’s what drivers in California can expect to pay at the pump:
What are current gas prices in California?
Drivers in California are currently paying the highest gas prices in the nation, according to gas experts.
Recent data from AAA show the statewide average price for a gallon of regular gasoline reached about $6.11 on Monday, May 4.
That is roughly $1.65 more than the national average of $4.46.
Prices have climbed about 16 cents in the past week, and they’re significantly higher than a year ago, when drivers were paying around $4.78 per gallon.
Four years ago, California recorded its highest average gas prices in June 2022 at $6.44 a gallon.
Meanwhile, diesel prices in California reached a record of $7.75 per gallon on average on April 9.
How much does gas cost in my California city?
As of Monday, May 4, these were the average per-gallon prices for regular gas at metropolitan areas around California:
- Bakersfield: $6.03 per gallon
- Chico-Paradise: $5.88
- El Centro: $5.76
- Fresno: $6.04
- Hanford-Corcoran: $5.96
- Los Angeles-Long Beach: $5.18
- Madera-Chowchila: $6.11
- Merced: $6.01
- Modesto: $5.93
- Napa: $6.35
- Oakland: $6.17
- Orange County: $6.16
- Redding: $6.87
- Riverside: $6.03
- Sacramento: $6.05
- Salinas: $6.25
- San Bernardino: $6.06
- San Diego: $6.15
- San Francisco: $6.34
- San Jose: $6.13
- San Luis Obispo-Atascadero-Paso Robles: $6.27
- San Rafael: $6.40
- Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc: $6.03
- Santa Cruz-Watsonville: $6.20
- Santa Rosa: $6.34
- Stockton-Lodi: $5.99
- Vallejo-Fairfield: $6.07
- Ventura: $6.09
- Visalia-Tulare-Porterville: $6.02
- Yolo: $5.95
- Yuba City: $5.78
Where can I find the lowest gas prices in California?
AAA said these 10 counties had the cheapest gas prices as of Monday:
- Modoc County — $5.72 per gallon
- Imperial County — $5.75
- Sutter County — $5.80
- Yuba County — $5.81
- Tehama County — $5.82
- Shasta County — $5.87
- Butte County — $5.88
- Tuolumne County — $5.88
- Stanislaus County — $5.93
- Yolo County — $5.97
Where are drivers paying the most in California?
These five counties had the most expensive gas prices in California, AAA said:
- Mono County — $7 per gallon
- Humboldt County — $6.55
- Marin County — $6.40
- Sierra County — $6.40
- Inyo County — $6.39
Find cheapest gas stations in my area
GasBuddy is designed to help motorists find the cheapest gas prices in their areas.
You can search for the most affordable gas stations in your area on the GasBuddy website.
Why is gas so expensive in California right now?
Along with the annual switch to summer-blend gasoline and refinery shutdowns, the war in Iran has caused gas prices to rise nationwide, according to GasBuddy.
Oil prices have climbed above $100 per barrel, with no clear timeline for when supply concerns will ease, AAA said.
The latest data by Business Insider show crude oil prices were hovering around $114 per barrel, as of Monday, May 4.
“As long as uncertainty surrounds supply—especially in critical regions and transit routes—oil prices are likely to remain supported, with sharp swings possible as markets navigate an increasingly fragile and headline-driven environment,” GasBuddy said.
This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 1:29 PM with the headline "Gas prices just hit $7 a gallon in this California county. Where to fill up for less."
