Montana gas prices
Montana gas prices tend to run near or slightly above the national average. The state is in PADD 4, the Rocky Mountain region, which has limited refinery capacity. Montana does have a refinery in Billings and another in Great Falls, which helps with local supply, but the state is enormous and sparsely populated. Getting fuel to remote towns is expensive.
Prices in Billings and along the Interstate 90 corridor are usually the cheapest in the state. Western Montana and smaller towns off the highway pay more. Diesel is particularly important here given the state's ranching, farming, and energy industry. Montana's gas taxes are moderate, not a major factor in either direction.
Price history
Does Montana have its own refineries?
Yes. The CHS refinery in Laurel (near Billings) and the Calumet refinery in Great Falls both produce fuel for the state and surrounding region. They process crude from Montana oil fields and the Bakken formation in North Dakota.
Why are gas prices higher in western Montana?
Western Montana is farther from refineries and pipeline terminals. Towns like Missoula and Kalispell depend on fuel trucked from Billings or piped from other states, adding transportation costs. The mountain terrain doesn't help either.
How do Montana gas prices compare to Wyoming?
They're usually similar, within a few cents. Both states are in PADD 4 with similar refinery access. Wyoming sometimes runs a bit cheaper because of lower state taxes and its own refinery in Cheyenne.