Reno Gazette Journal: Reno, Washoe gas prices jump $1.35 in 3 months — highest in Nevada

Gas prices surge as Iran war closes Strait of Hormuz

Gas prices rise as Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz, threatening oil supplies and raising fears of global economic fallout.

Key Points

• Washoe County is highest per gallon of regular gas at $5.101 on average while White Pine County is lowest at $3.856.

• Reno's Washoe County gas prices are 25 cents higher a gallon on average than Las Vegas' Clark County.

• Gas Buddy's analysis expects prices to keep rising.

Reno and Washoe County have the highest gas prices in Nevada.

In just three months, Washoe County has seen a jump of about $1.35 per gallon of regular gas.

The auto club AAA reports the average cost per gallon of regular gas is:

• $3.956 in U.S.

• $4.797 in Nevada

• $5.030 in Reno

• $5.101 in Washoe County

Two factors regularly put Nevada near the top of the nation’s gas prices.

It has among the highest gas taxes. It also gets its gas from California, which requires processes to reduce evaporation and pollution, raising costs.

Washoe County also tacks on a voter-approved “fuel surcharge” to pay for transportation projects and road improvements.

Washoe County’s gas prices are highest in Nevada

According to AAA, Washoe County has the highest gas prices in the state.

It's about 25 cents higher than Clark County, home to Las Vegas.

Here’s AAA's breakdown of the average cost per gallon of regular gasoline by county, as of March 23:

1. Washoe (Reno-Sparks): $5.101

2. Mineral (Hawthorne): $4.961

3. Clark (Las Vegas): $4.852

4. Storey (Virginia City): $4.699

5. Douglas (Minden-Gardnerville): $4.688

6. Churchill (Fallon): $4.674

7. Carson City: $4.643

8. Nye (Pahrump): $4.538

9. Lyon (Fernley): $4.449

10. Lincoln (Caliente): $4.371

11. Pershing (Lovelock): $4.256

12. Lander (Battle Mountain): $4.173

13. Humboldt (Winnemucca): $4.130

14. Elko: $4.005

15. Eureka: $3.966

16. White Pine (Ely): $3.856

17. Esmeralda (Goldfield): not available

According to the gas-price tracking app GasBuddy, the locations with the lowest-priced regular gas in the Reno area as of March 23 are Costco, Sam's Club, Smith's on Baring Boulevard in Sparks and Maverik on East Prater Way, also in Sparks. If paying cash, ARCO on Sierra Highlands Drive and M Food Mart on Kietzke Lane are included among the lowest.

Nevada’s gas price spikes $1.41 in three months

In December, Nevada celebrated steep drops in gas prices, down to an average cost of $3.388 a gallon.

A month ago, it was at $3.678 a gallon and now it’s at $4.797.

That means the state’s average gas price increased more than a dollar since February and $1.41 in just three months.

More gas-price increases expected

While Nevada blew past $4-a-gallon gas weeks ago, the national average sits at $3.92, according to GasBuddy, which tracks individual prices at more than 150,000 gas stations across the country.

“Gas prices continued to rise nationwide over the last week as seasonal factors, combined with ongoing supply concerns tied to the continued disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, pushed both gasoline and diesel prices sharply higher,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, in a blog post Monday.

“It now appears increasingly likely that the national average price of gasoline will reach the $4-per-gallon mark — potentially as early as this week — for the first time since 2022.”

He said some markets are reaching record highs.

“There are few signs of stabilization so far,” De Haan said, “as global oil prices continue to climb and early indications suggest consumers may begin to pull back in response to the rapid pace of increases.”