The national average price for a gallon of gas rose sharply last week to $3.48, which is four cents more than a week ago. Here in Rockford, that number is $3.60 per gallon, when last week we were at $3.52.

Last month Rockford's gas price (for a gallon of self-serve regular) was $3.34, so it's pretty clear that we're going the...

Getty Images
Getty Images
loading...
Newspaper headline "Soaring gas prices"
Getty Images
loading...

Gas Price/Oil Industry Analysts Lay The Blame At The Rising Cost Of Barrels Of Crude Oil

AAA-Chicago points out that weather and our thoughts on the future of COVID-19 are helping to cause prices to rise:

The main culprit behind the recent climb in pump prices remains the high cost of crude oil, which is stubbornly bobbing around $90 per barrel. Moderating winter weather and optimism over a potential fading of the omicron variant have led to an increase in gas demand. Gas prices will likely increase as demand grows and crude oil prices remain above $90 per barrel.

It seems that getting some halfway decent weather while we watch state after state (except our own, thus far) roll back restrictions and mandates has made us all collectively want to drive around more.

Newspaper headline "Oil prices jump"
Getty Images
loading...
Getty Images
Getty Images
loading...
This is the place where all your money has been going lately.
Getty Images
loading...

Take A Look At How Gas Prices Have Been Changing Around Illinois

Nationally, gas prices are hovering around the $3.48 mark, when last week they were at $3.44, a month ago at $3.30, and sat at $2.50 one year ago.

Here in Rockford, the average gas price is $3.60. A week ago it was $3.52, $3.34 one month back, and $2.66 on this date in 2021.

In Chicago, where you're going to pay substantially more for nearly everything, their average gas price this week is $3.93, when last week it was $3.89. A month ago, the price was $3.78, and one year ago you would have paid $2.92 per gallon within Chicago city limits.

LOOK: See how much gasoline cost the year you started driving

To find out more about how has the price of gas changed throughout the years, Stacker ran the numbers on the cost of a gallon of gasoline for each of the last 84 years. Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (released in April 2020), we analyzed the average price for a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline from 1976 to 2020 along with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for unleaded regular gasoline from 1937 to 1976, including the absolute and inflation-adjusted prices for each year.

Read on to explore the cost of gas over time and rediscover just how much a gallon was when you first started driving.

20 Most Expensive Homes For Sale in Illinois Right Now

More From 97 ZOK