Gas Prices Hover Around $4.50 Across Chicago Suburbs

Gas prices across the Chicago area are climbing again, with drivers in Lake, McHenry and Kane counties now paying around $4.50 per gallon as global tensions and supply issues push costs higher.

According to AAA, the statewide average for regular gas in Illinois is about $4.20 per gallon, compared to roughly $4.23 nationwide, while Chicago prices are significantly higher at about $4.85 per gallon.

In the suburbs, prices are slightly lower than in the city but still well above the state average. As of Wednesday, county averages were: McHenry at $4.477, Lake at $4.50, Kane at $4.520, DuPage at $4.548, Cook at $4.706, Will at $4.516 and Kendall at $4.485.

Analysts say gas prices are surging largely because the war involving Iran has disrupted global oil supplies, especially through the Strait of Hormuz — a critical route for roughly 20% of the world’s oil — creating fears of shortages and driving crude prices sharply higher, according to Reuters.

That spike in crude oil costs is the biggest driver of higher prices at the pump, with U.S. gas prices rising more than $1 per gallon since the conflict began, according to the Wall Street Journal.

At the same time, refinery outages and supply constraints — particularly in the Midwest — have tightened gasoline availability, adding further upward pressure on prices for drivers, according to Reuters.