Mississippi drivers spend more of their salaries on gas than any other US state

Mississippi drivers are getting hit harder at the pump than anyone else in America.

Depending on where you live, gas can vary between a minor financial annoyance and a budget drain that just won’t quit.

A new study reveals exactly where that balance tips.

And topping the list is Mississippi, where fuel eats up more of the average paycheck than anywhere else in the country.

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Mississippi drivers have it tough when it comes to gas

FinanceBuzz crunched numbers from the Department of Transportation, the Census Bureau, and AAA. 

Their goal? 

To see where gas hurts the most once you factor in not just prices, but how far people drive and how much they earn.

The nationwide average shakes out to 2.28 percent of income disappearing into gas each year. 

But in Mississippi, that figure jumps to 3.76 percent – the highest in the country. 

Close behind are New Mexico at 3.47 percent, Alabama at 3.46 percent, and Arkansas at 3.43 percent.

And there’s an obvious common thread: low incomes and long drives. 

Mississippi and Arkansas drivers earn under $50,000 a year on average. 

Add 1,000-plus miles a month on rural commutes, and even cheap gas drains wallets fast. 

That’s the vicious loop – low pay, long drives, bigger fuel burden. 

It’s the same story in Wyoming, Indiana, Missouri, Louisiana, Montana, and Florida, which all land in the top 10, too.

The costs aren’t just about pump price – they’re about geography and economics combining to drain wallets every time you fill the tank.

Where gas barely dents the budget

On the flipside, some drivers barely notice fuel costs at all. 

Washington, D.C., tops that list, spending just 0.77 percent of its income on gas. 

That’s one-fifth the bite Mississippi drivers feel.

The math checks out: D.C. drivers average only 440 miles per month, the lowest in the nation. 

Public transit does the heavy lifting there. 

And the region’s median income – over $100,000 – makes gas far less of a burden.

It’s a similar story across New York (1.22 per cent), Rhode Island (1.38 per cent), and Massachusetts (1.47 percent). 

Drivers there clock fewer than 600 miles monthly thanks to dense cities and reliable transit. 

Pair shorter trips with bigger paychecks, and fuel becomes a footnote.

When you stack that next to Mississippi, the divide is stark. 

For Mississippi drivers, gas isn’t just a weekly errand – it’s a budget line that stings.

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