Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - Three weeks ago, average gas prices in Montana increased for the first time in five months, but not by very much. Patrick De Haan is the head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, and he provided the current numbers.  

“Average gasoline prices in Montana have risen 5.5 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.78 per gallon today,” De Haan said. “Prices in Montana are 6.2 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 30.7 cents per gallon lower than a year ago."    

As of Monday morning, stations in Missoula were all over the map. One station was $2.74, and another was $2.79, but one station had already jumped to an alarming $3.04. According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Montana was priced at $2.52 per gallon yesterday, while the most expensive was $3.09 per gallon.          

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Montana is currently ranked 30th in the U.S. when it comes to the average price of gas, which is one spot lower than last week.        

"The national average price of gasoline has risen 5.6 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $2.94 per gallon today,” De Haan said. “The national average is up 7.8 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 10.1 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has increased 5.4 cents compared to a week ago and stands at $3.74 per gallon.”                 

READ MORE: Montana Gas Prices Hold Steady While Other States Increase

The national average has climbed for a fourth straight week, which De Haan said is driven primarily by seasonal tightening and broader market dynamics. 

“Looking ahead, markets will now begin reacting to this weekend’s U.S.–Iran attacks, which have elevated geopolitical risk premiums even in the absence of immediate supply disruption. Oil prices have firmed as traders assess the potential for further escalation, and while fundamentals such as inventories and refinery activity remain important anchors, the risk of broader instability— particularly involving key transit routes— has injected fresh uncertainty into energy markets.” 

In the week ahead, De Haan said gasoline prices are likely to face heightened upward pressure as seasonal trends continue and markets navigate this evolving geopolitical landscape, with the national average poised to reach the $3-per-gallon mark for the first time this year. 

LOOK: See how much gasoline cost the year you started driving

To find out more about how has the price of gas changed throughout the years, Stacker ran the numbers on the cost of a gallon of gasoline for each of the last 84 years. Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (released in April 2020), we analyzed the average price for a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline from 1976 to 2020 along with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for unleaded regular gasoline from 1937 to 1976, including the absolute and inflation-adjusted prices for each year.

Read on to explore the cost of gas over time and rediscover just how much a gallon was when you first started driving.

Gallery Credit: Sophia Crisafulli

 

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