Between gas, insurance, and other costs, owning a vehicle can be expensive. Consumers may not know how much costs can vary even among neighboring states. The Midwest is home to some of the least expensive states for drivers. The biggest factor explaining why states such as Missouri, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Michigan rank so low in expenses is the cost of gas. According to CNN, gas in Missouri was reported at $ 1.40, one of the nation’s lowest.

These Midwestern states ranked among the cheapest in the country, according to Bankrate’s 2014 car cost study. Bankrate reported that they analyzed the gasoline prices, costs of repairs and insurance premiums across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. They calculated gasoline prices with statistics from GasBuddy.com and the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Here is the map showing the cost of owning a car from state to state. The darker green, the more expensive.

This map is certainly full of surprises. For example, many readers would likely not assume Wyoming to be the most expensive state for drivers. Places with a relatively high cost of living such as the District of Columbia and New York ranked amongst the lowest in gasoline expenses, perhaps because residents of dense metropolitan areas may not drive long distances. More spread out states like South Dakota, Nebraska, Indiana, and Wyoming (which topped the list in terms of gasoline expenditures) ranked amongst the highest in gasoline expenses. Drivers in those states might not have the most fuel efficienct vehicles, so that may be a factor in addition to the spread-out nature of those states. Bankrate’s full list of data can be seen below.

Estimated annual cost of car ownership State Repairs Insurance Gasoline Total Iowa $315 $630 $998 $1,942 Ohio $328 $698 $947 $1,973 Illinois $343 $805 $852 $1,999 Idaho $349 $664 $988 $2,001 Wisconsin $329 $658 $1,031 $2,018 South Dakota $312 $654 $1,056 $2,022 Pennsylvania $364 $908 $781 $2,052 New Hampshire $328 $767 $975 $2,070 Nebraska $347 $709 $1,025 $2,081 Oregon $380 $807 $893 $2,081 Utah $371 $810 $918 $2,098 Virginia $382 $758 $964 $2,104 Kansas $352 $764 $991 $2,108 Maine $328 $682 $1,109 $2,119 Colorado $385 $848 $890 $2,123 North Carolina $390 $708 $1,032 $2,129 Tennessee $353 $762 $1,021 $2,136 Hawaii $370 $906 $869 $2,145 Alaska $341 $1,077 $730 $2,147 Washington $375 $910 $866 $2,151 Minnesota $346 $782 $1,033 $2,162 Massachusetts $358 $984 $827 $2,169 Vermont $270 $730 $1,178 $2,177 South Carolina $368 $860 $958 $2,186 Indiana $329 $709 $1,162 $2,200 Arizona $362 $963 $888 $2,213 North Dakota $344 $662 $1,207 $2,213 Nevada $364 $1,078 $771 $2,214 Texas $364 $1,001 $860 $2,226 Arkansas $361 $813 $1,055 $2,229 Missouri $353 $780 $1,099 $2,232 California $390 $906 $940 $2,237 Montana $360 $822 $1,067 $2,250 New York $365 $1,196 $713 $2,273 Washington, D.C. $392 $1,273 $618 $2,283 Kentucky $367 $848 $1,073 $2,288 Rhode Island $371 $1,142 $800 $2,314 West Virginia $310 $975 $1,033 $2,318 Oklahoma $338 $839 $1,175 $2,352 Maryland $388 $1,030 $951 $2,368 New Mexico $345 $895 $1,131 $2,371 Connecticut $385 $1,058 $929 $2,372 Michigan $317 $1,064 $994 $2,375 Alabama $352 $793 $1,237 $2,381 Delaware $314 $1,110 $967 $2,391 Georgia $385 $927 $1,096 $2,408 New Jersey $393 $1,244 $783 $2,421 Mississippi $356 $901 $1,231 $2,487 Florida $377 $1,124 $1,015 $2,516 Louisiana $354 $1,277 $924 $2,555 Wyoming $324 $792 $1,588 $2,705

Bankrate’s information can also be found online here.

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