Pennsylvania drivers are paying more at the pump. The average price for a gallon of regular gas in the state was $4.56 as of Sept. 21, according to GasBuddy. That’s up 7 cents from the week before, nearly 42 cents from a month ago and $1.24 from a year ago.
Prices vary widely across the state. The cheapest station GasBuddy tracked was selling regular for $3.53 a gallon, while the most expensive charged $5.49. In the Pittsburgh area, the average reached $4.75, according to AAA data.
The increase is part of a national trend. The national average for regular gas rose 16 cents in a week to $4.47, more than $1 above last year’s level, AAA reported. AAA pointed to crude oil holding near $100 a barrel amid ongoing volatility in the Strait of Hormuz. The national average is now approaching this year’s high of $4.56, set on May 21.
Diesel is climbing too, with the national average up nearly 31 cents in a week to $6.49 a gallon.