Gas in Idaho climbs above $4. Why price is rising, where you can find cheap gas in Boise
As summer winds down into fall, gas prices in Idaho are slowly winding back up, putting a strain on the wallets of many Idahoans.
As of Thursday afternoon, the average gas price in Idaho was $4.11 per gallon, 5 cents higher than last week and 21 cents higher than a month ago, according to AAA. The Gem State has the 10th-most-expensive gas in the nation and is 23 cents above the national average of $3.88 per gallon.
Nationwide, gas has increased by 31 cents from a month ago when it cost $3.57 per gallon.
Why are gas prices increasing nationwide?
Several weather events across the country — such as Hurricane Hilary, poised to hit the southwest United States, and a Midwest heat dome in the forecast — are impacting the price of gas, according to the road service nonprofit AAA.
“While fewer drivers are fueling up at the moment, these looming weather concerns are a roadblock to falling pump prices,” AAA spokesperson Andrew Goss said in a Thursday news release. “Gas prices may keep waffling until mid-September or longer.”
Refineries in the states affected by these weather events — particularly those affected by the heat in states like Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas — may have to curb production to deal with the intense heat, pushing gas prices higher.
AAA Idaho public affairs director Matthew Conde also doesn’t see the situation improving until at least September.
“We’re seeing sizable jumps in the price of fill-ups this week, and the pressure may not ease in any significant way until we get past Labor Day,” Conde said in a news release. “Fuel demand is holding steady, while the recent announcement by OPEC+ that crude oil production cuts will continue is also playing havoc with the market.”
OPEC — the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries — comprises 13 oil-exporting countries such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. In October 2022, OPEC announced its plan to cut crude oil production amid uncertainty around the global economy. It recently doubled down on that plan when announcing that cuts will continue into 2024.
The West Texas Intermediate benchmark, one of three benchmarks in oil pricing worldwide, is trading crude oil at $82.50 per barrel as of Aug. 14. That’s about $15 more expensive than just before OPEC’s announcement that cuts would continue, when a barrel cost $67.08 on June 12.
Gas prices in Idaho
As of Thursday, gas prices in Ada County averaged $4.16 per gallon, but several gas stations offered cheaper prices, such as $3.87 at the Chevron at 1835 E. Warm Springs Ave. and $3.93 at the Albertsons at 2300 S. Apple St.
A few other stations also remain under $4 per gallon for now, according to Gas Buddy.
Fremont County in East Idaho has the highest average cost of gas in the state at $4.48 per gallon, and Minidoka County in south-central Idaho has the cheapest at $3.96.
Check out the interactive map below to see how much your county pays — the map updates daily with the most recently available prices.
You can also check the updating map below comparing Ada County to Idaho’s most and least expensive counties for gas, Fremont and Minidoka Counties, respectively.
