According to the U.S. Department of Energy, average prices for gas across the country hit $2.15 per gallon on March 28, and prices are climbing toward $2.20 this week. A less scientific, but no less revealing survey by GasPriceWatch.com finds a great deal of local and regional variation in the price of gasoline. According to the site (on Tuesday), the lowest spotted price for regular unleaded was in Chugwater, WY, at $1.88; the highest was in Baker, CA, at $3.44.

Nominally, gasoline is as expensive as it has ever been. In fact, however, adjusted for inflation, current prices have yet to surpass the real peak of 1981, though they may be headed that way. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's Annual Energy Review and Monthly Energy Review (Feb. 2005), the average price of a gallon of gas was about $1.40 in 1981, which would be about $2.90 in today's dollars.

Still, gas is a good deal more expensive than it was five years or even one year ago, and people are responding. According to the ICSC survey, 40% of consumers have reducing their driving. The shopping format that continues to be most affected by the reduced frequency of store visits is the downtown shopping areas (63%), while neighborhood shopping centers are least affected (50%). On the other hand, a majority of households, 56%, reported no impact from the increased fuel costs.