Why Are Gas Prices So High in Livingston County?

June 26, 2024

Nik Rajkovic / news@whmi.com

AAA’s weekly fuel gauge is one of our most popular posts on social media, getting a lot of responses, both good and bad.

Spokeswoman Adrienne Woodland says it is really meant to be a snapshot of gas prices at a moment in time, particularly to start the work week.

“When I send out the weekly report, that’s the average for that particular day. Averages can easily change day-to-day. But it looks at gas stations throughout the state, and this is what the average is,” she says.

Woodland says multiple factors impact gas prices on a daily basis.

“The three of those biggest factors are of course the price of crude oil. Demand for gasoline is a huge one, as well as the available supply of gasoline at any particular time or any particular area.”

“If there is a change in any one of those, it can affect the prices that you have at the pump.”

Michigan also boasts one of the highest gas taxes in the U.S. — 30 cents per gallon — on top of the six percent state sales tax per gallon.

The federal excise tax on gasoline is 18.4 cents per gallon and 24.4 cents per gallon for diesel fuel. Proceeds from the tax partly support the Highway Trust Fund.

Wednesday’s statewide average is showing about $3.58 a gallon across Michigan — seven cents higher than Monday morning. Livingston County drivers are paying closer to $3.82 for regular. Gas is averaging $3.69 in Washtenaw County.

“With both of those places, you may not have as many gas stations in those particular counties compared to an Oakland County or Wayne County,” she says.

“Both of them, you also have two of the busiest interstates in the state of Michigan going through them — I-96 going through Livingston and I-94 going through Washtenaw.”

Woodland and others insist gas station convenience store owners do not set their own prices, earning most of their income on food, drinks and other items sold inside the store.

If you suspect a store owner of price gouging, you can file a complaint with the Michigan Attorney General’s Office at the link below.

Multiple oil and gas experts will weigh-in on state and local gas prices during this weekend’s episode of WHMI’s Viewpoint, which airs at 8:30a each Sunday morning.