The average South Carolina driver will pay $51.09 more at the pump in March 2022 than they did in March 2021, according to an analysis of gas prices from the AAA motor club and Federal Highway Administration (FHA) data by Palmetto State News.
South Carolina drivers will pay an average of $3.48 per gallon of regular gasoline this month versus $2.49 last year. This is a 39.9 percent increase equaling $0.99 per gallon.
Of the 10 South Carolina metropolitan areas analyzed, drivers in Aiken-Edgfield County faced the largest price hike at the pump in the last year of $55.31. Florence was spared the worst pain, with the price of gas rising $49.03 from March 2021 to March 2022.
Senator Tim Scott (R-South Carolina) had his eye on gas price hikes back in September, 2021.
“Gas prices have increased more than 40% since this time last year. This administration is standing by as inflation continues to hurt everyday Americans,” Scott said on Twitter.
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 will fall throughout 2022.
South Carolina drivers average 1,245.1 miles and use 51.4 gallons of gasoline per month, according to the FHA.
| Market | 2022 | 2021 | CHG | % | Total increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aiken-Edgfield County | $3.55 | $2.47 | $1.08 | 43.5% | $55.31 |
| Hilton Head-Bluffton | $3.56 | $2.52 | $1.04 | 41.1% | $53.35 |
| Myrtle Beach | $3.47 | $2.45 | $1.02 | 41.8% | $52.68 |
| Columbia | $3.50 | $2.48 | $1.02 | 41.0% | $52.38 |
| Rock Hill | $3.47 | $2.45 | $1.01 | 41.4% | $52.17 |
| Spartanburg | $3.48 | $2.49 | $0.99 | 39.8% | $51.04 |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $3.47 | $2.49 | $0.98 | 39.3% | $50.37 |
| Greenville | $3.48 | $2.50 | $0.98 | 39.0% | $50.27 |
| Sumter | $3.42 | $2.46 | $0.96 | 39.1% | $49.55 |
| Florence | $3.47 | $2.51 | $0.95 | 37.9% | $49.03 |
