The average Mississippi driver will pay $9.69 more at the pump in February 2023 than they did in February 2022, according to an analysis of gas prices from the AAA motor club and Federal Highway Administration (FHA) data by Magnolia State News.
Mississippi drivers will pay an average of $3.16 per gallon of regular gasoline this month versus $3.02 last year. This is a 4.7 percent increase equaling $0.14 per gallon.
Of the four Mississippi metropolitan areas analyzed, drivers in Biloxi-Gulfport-Pascagoula faced the largest price hike at the pump in the last year of $10.66. Hattiesburg was spared the worst pain, with the price of gas rising $4.61 from February 2022 to February 2023.
Gas prices across the US hit a seven-year high following a significant drop at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The price of gas, derived from the cost of oil manufactured around the world, has the power to substantially change the free market and influence many industries.
A short-term outlook report from the US Energy Information Administration predicted gas rates would fall throughout 2022. This was incorrect, though the Administration made the same forecast for 2023.
Mississippi drivers average 1,663.8 miles and use 68.8 gallons of gasoline per month, according to the FHA.
| Market | 2023 | 2022 | CHG | % | Total increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Biloxi-Gulfport-Pascagoula | $3.14 | $2.99 | $0.16 | 5.2% | $10.66 |
| Jackson | $3.16 | $3 | $0.15 | 5.1% | $10.52 |
| South Haven – Olive Branch | $3.16 | $3.05 | $0.12 | 3.9% | $8.11 |
| Hattiesburg | $3.18 | $3.11 | $0.07 | 2.2% | $4.61 |
