Why Does Rochester Have the Highest Gas Prices in Minnesota?

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- The average price for a gallon of gas in Minnesota has dropped below $3. 

Read More: Gas Prices Now Below $3 Per Gallon in Minnesota 

That’s according to AAA, which says Minnesotans are paying below the national average per gallon at the pump. 

As of Nov. 13, the statewide average price for a gallon of gas in Minnesota is about $2.94 while the national average sits at $3.08 per gallon. 

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The statewide average price per gallon is down $0.19 from last week and is $0.29 lower than it was one year ago, AAA says. Not all Minnesotans are enjoying the sub $3.00 per gallon gas price though. 

The latest AAA update says motorists in the Rochester area are paying an average of $3.01 per gallon. 

That’s the highest price per gallon across Minnesota’s six largest metropolitan areas, according to AAA. It also makes Rochester the only large population center in the state with an average price over $3 per gallon. 

Why Are Gas Prices in Rochester, MN the Highest of Minnesota's Metropolitan Areas?

Brynna Knapp of AAA Public affairs Minnesota says a variety of factors determine the price at the pump, including the price of crude oil and a region’s supply and demand. 

Knapp says fuel shipping, fuel availability within a region and a gas retailer’s business model are also price determining factors. 

Despite being next door neighbors to Rochester, Winona and Mower Counties have some of the cheapest gas in the state at an average price of $2.87 and $2.71 respectively, according to AAA. 

Knapp says Metropolitan areas like Rochester tend to have higher gas prices than their more rural neighbors because demand is more sustained in areas with more vehicles on the road. 

AAA’s recent fuel update points out the average price per gallon in the Rochester area has dropped by $0.19 cents over the past month and is down $0.19 cents from 2023. 

Knapp says price drops tend to be delayed in more populated areas.