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Where Rising Gas Prices Really Bite

May 24, 2026 · 8:40 am ET · Leave a Comment

“Surging gas prices have hit American drivers hard — but some much harder than others,” the Washington Post reports.

“For households in the bottom quarter of the income distribution — those earning roughly $40,000 a year or less — commuting fuel costs now consume an average of about 4 percent of their income…”

“Lower-income workers tend to live farther from their jobs, in areas with little or no public transit, and are more likely to drive older, less fuel-efficient vehicles. Many are not able to work from home. When prices rise, they have few ways to reduce their exposure — cutting back on driving means cutting back on getting to work, to doctors, to family.”

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Taegan Goddard

Taegan Goddard

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