(AOL Autos)  -- Price of gas got you crying at the pump? Is it eating into your household budget? Well, get used to it.



Gas in California, the second worst state, hits $4.59 per gallon for regular unleaded in this July 14 photo.



That's the word on the streets as the price of a gallon of gasoline soars to record highs.



With regional differentials pushing the price much higher in some places, drivers and small-business owners are finding it hard to cope.



But which states' motorists get the best deal, and in which states do drivers pay the most to fill-up?



Here come the numbers



Alaska has the highest gas prices in the nation, with a gallon of regular gasoline at $4.623, followed by California at $4.583 as of June 30. Hawaii, Connecticut and Washington make up the top five states with highest prices, with New York and D.C. not far behind at $4.292 and $4.160 respectively.



Best states to buy gas? Missouri comes out top at $3.862 for a gallon of regular, followed by Oklahoma at $3.866, South Carolina, Mississippi and Arkansas. Iowa, Kansas and Alabama are next in line. AOL Autos: Cars with 30+ MPG for $300 or less per month



Past prices



We use the term 'best states to buy gas' with this caveat: Back in June 2004, gas hovered at around $1.74 a gallon, according to figures from gasbuddy.com.



Geoff Sundstrom, AAA's fuel price analyst, said the primary reasons for rising fuel prices are an increase in demand for petroleum products across the globe and a need for investment in refining infrastructure.



"Right now, it is almost impossible to know where oil and gas prices will be in six months to a year," he said. "It's easy to assume that the world economy will continue to grow, we are very clearly at risk of an economic downturn and perhaps a severe economic downturn which could influence the demand side to the point where oil and gas prices may drop.



"In 10 to 20 years out, oil and gasoline will continue to be more expensive. But given what's happening in the markets right now, there is some potential that [the] demands side of the equation could fall off a cliff." AOL Autos: Consumer Reports on best fuel-efficient used cars



Why so expensive in California?



Marie Montgomery, spokeswoman for the Automobile Club of Southern California, says the primary reason behind the high price of gas in California is "market segmentation," a marketing term that basically means California (along with many other states) has developed a "boutique blend" of fuel in a bid to uphold environmental or ecological standards. In California's case, this blend helps clear the state's notorious smog.



"We can't use gas they made for Iowa. We use a special blend with additives in it, an ethanol mix," Montgomery said. "When you do that, you can only use refineries that make that gas [mix]. The refineries in California are a major supplier, but, when prices are high and there's not another supplier, we have to go where they make that mix."



She pointed out that refineries in Oregon and Washington produce the gas product, and there is a pipeline to Alaska, but that the only other options are shipping in the blend from elsewhere in the nation or Asia, which is not cost-efficient.



"People have to figure out how to deal with this on a long-term basis. We've been telling motorists to carpool and here we are in summer, and prices have barely come down," she said. "Usually we're about a month into a downturn, it's cyclical: Prices go up in spring and spike in May, which isn't happening this year. Prices may not come down a lot."



Less misery in Missouri



Michael Right, vice president of public affairs for AAA Missouri, said his state is usually among the top three in terms of
what's the national gasoline average price on june? What is at a record high? what alaska has? Where are the highest gas prices? Where are the lowest gas prices? what fuel prices are rising of? Which state has the lowest price of gasoline? What determines the state price for gasoline?
$1.74 a gallon, gallon of gasoline highest gas prices in the nation, Alaska South Carolina, Mississippi and Arkansas. oil and gas Missouri "market segmentation,"
question: what's the national gasoline average price on june?, answer: $1.74 a gallon, | question: What is at a record high?, answer: gallon of gasoline | question: what alaska has?, answer: highest gas prices in the nation, | question: Where are the highest gas prices?, answer: Alaska | question: Where are the lowest gas prices?, answer: South Carolina, Mississippi and Arkansas. | question: what fuel prices are rising of?, answer: oil and gas | question: Which state has the lowest price of gasoline?, answer: Missouri | question: What determines the state price for gasoline?, answer: "market segmentation,"