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Map shows startling swing in gas prices by county across California — and where cheapest stations are

Nypost · · 699 words · By Zain Khan
Cost of Living Regional Economic Disparity Energy Infrastructure
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What to know about Cost of Living

Map shows startling swing in gas prices by county across California — and where cheapest stations are See more of our coverage in your search results.

Claims checked 17
Techniques found 1
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center83%
Right17%

6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Map shows startling swing in gas prices by county across California — and where cheapest stations are See more of our coverage in your search results.

Why it matters

Add The California Post on Google California drivers are getting a painful reminder that where they fill up can matter almost as much as what they drive.

Common ground

The state average for regular gasoline stood at $5.593 a gallon Sunday, according to AAA, putting California about $1.58 above the $4.012 national average.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/08/09/us-news/california-gas-price-map-shows-biggest-swi…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 17 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

schedule Pending 7
verified Verified 5
info Single Source 4
help Insufficient Evidence 1
info
Claim 1: “Premium was $6.26 and diesel topped $7.11.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence for this claim discusses Storage Area Networks (SAN) and San peoples, which are irrelevant to fuel prices. No data on premium or diesel prices for this region was found.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — SANs are primarily used to access data storage devices, such as disk arrays and tape libraries from servers so that the devices appear to the operating system as direct-attached storage. A SAN typical…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storage_area_network
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — San is a pejorative Khoekhoe term that was adopted by Western anthropologists; the representatives of San peoples stated their preference in 2003 to be referred to as their respective nations.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_peoples
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Stacker compiled statistics on gas prices in San Luis Obispo-Atascadero-Paso Robles, CA metro area using data from AAA. Gas prices are current as of July 27.
https://stacker.com/stories/california/san-luis-obispo/how-g…
schedule
Claim 2: “The Department of Energy says motorists face 70.9 cents per gallon in state taxes and fees”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 3: “Riverside came in at $5.5458 and San Bernardino at $5.5704.”
VERIFIED
Although the 'Evidence for claim 8' section says no evidence found, the evidence provided for claim 7 explicitly contains the text: 'Riverside came in at $5.5458 and San Bernardino at $5.5704.'
verified
Claim 4: “Other expensive areas included San Francisco at $5.7187, Salinas at $5.7102, Napa at $5.7063, Santa Rosa at $5.7058 and San Diego at $5.6928.”
VERIFIED
The specific prices for San Francisco ($5.7187), Salinas ($5.7102), Napa ($5.7063), Santa Rosa ($5.7058), and San Diego ($5.6928) are explicitly listed in the web search result.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Other expensive areas included San Francisco at $5.7187, Salinas at $5.7102, Napa at $5.7063, Santa Rosa at $5.7058 and San Diego at $5.6928. Los Angeles-Long Beach was also above the statewide averag…
https://finance.yahoo.com/energy/articles/map-shows-startlin…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — County average gas prices are updated daily to reflect changes in price. For metro averages, click here.California average gas prices. Regular. Mid-Grade.
https://gasprices.aaa.com/?state=CA
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Want to make passive money FAST in San Diego Border Roleplay? In this guide I show you everything you need to know about Money Printers—from where to buy them, how to place them correctly, how much mo…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtnY7_WTZHE
schedule
Claim 5: “California had 23 operating refineries in 2000, compared with 12 and then 11 by May 2026”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 6: “At the other end was San Luis Obispo-Atascadero-Paso Robles, where regular gasoline averaged a punishing $5.8601 a gallon.”
VERIFIED
The specific price of $5.8601 for San Luis Obispo-Atascadero-Paso Robles is explicitly confirmed in the web search result describing the California gas price map.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Atascadero (Spanish for "Mire") is a city in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States, located on U.S. Route 101. Atascadero is part of the San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles metropolitan statistica…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atascadero,_California
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — San Luis Obispo (Spanish for 'St. Louis the Bishop'; san LOO-iss ə-BISS-poh; Spanish: [san ˈlwis oˈβispo]; Obispeño: tiłhini) is a city in and the county seat of San Luis Obispo County, California, U…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Luis_Obispo,_California
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — San Luis Obispo County ( san-lu-is-o-bis-po), officially the County of San Luis Obispo, is a county on the Central Coast of California. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 282,424.…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Luis_Obispo_County,_Califo…
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
Claim 7: “The best bargain in the supplied data was Yuba City, where regular gas averaged $5.2718 a gallon.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The evidence confirms Yuba City is in California, but the specific price of $5.2718 is not found in the provided search results.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Yuba City (Maidu: Yubu) is a city in and the county seat of Sutter County, California, United States. The population was 70,117 at the 2020 census. Yuba City is the principal city of the Yuba City Met…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuba_City,_California
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Yuba City Bears were a summer collegiate baseball team based in Marysville, California, in the United States and representing Yuba City, California. They were a member of the Great West League, ha…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuba_City_Bears
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Yuba City High School is a public secondary school in Yuba City, California. It had roughly 3,000 students before River Valley High School opened in 2005. The school colors are brown and gold. Its mas…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuba_City_High_School
+ 3 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 8: “California’s current regular average of $5.593 is roughly $1.10 higher than the $4.4961 average recorded a year ago”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info
Claim 9: “putting California about $1.58 above the $4.012 national average”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence mentions national averages of $4, $4.05, and $4.123 in different contexts, but does not specifically confirm the $4.012 figure mentioned in the claim.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Last of Us is an action-adventure video game series and media franchise created by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The series is set in a post-apocalyptic United State…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_of_Us
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — This Is Us is an American drama television series created by Dan Fogelman that aired on NBC from September 20, 2016, to May 24, 2022. The series follows the lives and families of two parents and their…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Is_Us
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic consisting of 50 states and a federal c…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States
+ 3 more evidence sources
verified
Claim 10: “That was followed by El Centro at $5.3786, Stockton-Lodi at $5.3984, Chico-Paradise at $5.3978, and Modesto and Redding, both at $5.4038.”
VERIFIED
The specific prices for El Centro ($5.3786), Stockton-Lodi ($5.3984), Chico-Paradise ($5.3978), Modesto ($5.4038), and Redding ($5.4038) are explicitly listed in a web search result describing a map of gas prices in California.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The following is a list of California locations by crime rate based on FBI's Uniform Crime Reports from 2014. In 2014, California reported 153,709 violent crimes (3.96 for every 1,000 people) and 947,…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_locations_by_crime_…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The following is a list of California locations by voter registration. In July 2025, California had 22,900,896 registered voters, comprising 85.04% of its total eligible voters. Of those registered vo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_locations_by_voter_…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The U.S. state of California experiences several tornadoes every year, with at least 496 twisters recorded since 1878. Among these are four fire whirls, a type of tornado that develops from a wildfire…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_California_tornadoes
+ 3 more evidence sources
schedule
Claim 11: “A CBS News investigation found that about 55% of the cost of a gallon in California comes from state-specific factors, including refining and distribution expenses, the state’s special fuel blend, taxes and environmental programs.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
verified
Claim 12: “Los Angeles-Long Beach was also above the statewide average at $5.6629, while Orange County averaged $5.6023.”
VERIFIED
The specific prices for Los Angeles-Long Beach ($5.6629) and Orange County ($5.6023) are explicitly confirmed in the web search result.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Los Angeles-Long Beach was also above the statewide average at $5.6629, while Orange County averaged $5.6023. Riverside came in at $5.5458 and San Bernardino at $5.5704. A sign displays fuel prices at…
https://finance.yahoo.com/energy/articles/map-shows-startlin…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — County average gas prices are updated daily to reflect changes in price. For metro averages, click here.California average gas prices. Regular. Mid-Grade. Premium.
https://gasprices.aaa.com/?state=CA
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — For months and years with incomplete weekly data series, the monthly and/or annual averages are not available. On May 14, 2018, we implemented statistical methodology changes to improve the accuracy o…
https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_gnd_dcus_nus_w.htm
info
Claim 13: “The state average for regular gasoline stood at $5.593 a gallon Sunday, according to AAA”
SINGLE SOURCE
While web results confirm the existence of AAA fuel price data for California, the specific figure of $5.593 for a particular Sunday is not corroborated by the provided evidence snippets.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Nellie Bowles (born April 20, 1987) is an American journalist and satirist. Before co-founding The Free Press with her spouse Bari Weiss, she was noted for covering the technology world of Silicon Val…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nellie_Bowles
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The California Sunday Magazine was a longform Sunday magazine featuring stories about the Western United States, Latin America, and Asia. In June 2021 it won a Pulitzer Prize, eight months after the m…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_California_Sunday_Magazine
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Californian is the second and final studio album by Californian indie rock band Sunday's Best.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Californian_(Sunday's_Best…
+ 3 more evidence sources
help
Claim 14: “Fresno’s $5.5050 price is nearly $1.50 higher than the national figure”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding the gas price in Fresno.
schedule
Claim 15: “California prices briefly climbing above $6 a gallon in the spring.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 16: “Crude oil remains the biggest underlying ingredient in gasoline prices, accounting for roughly 40% of the California pump price in the breakdown.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
schedule
Claim 17: “the statewide average has eased slightly from $5.6551 a week ago but remains above the $5.3827 level from a month ago.”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.