Record Set For South Dakota’s Most Expensive August For Gas

South Dakota drivers had plenty of reasons to complain at the pump this summer, and August 2026 will go down as one of the most expensive months for gasoline in state history.

The record was not just for South Dakota but for all of the United States.

Gas prices remained elevated throughout August, with the South Dakota average hovering around the $4-per-gallon mark.

AAA reported that the state average was $4.046 per gallon on August 27, compared with $3.0110 a year earlier...more than $1 higher than August 2025.

On August 31, AAA listed South Dakota's average at $4.01 per gallon, but that was still dramatically higher than the $2.99 average recorded on the same date in 2025.

The expensive August wasn't just a South Dakota problem. Nationally, AAA reported that the average price of regular gasoline remained above $4 per gallon every day during August for the first time ever.

The national monthly average was on track to surpass the previous August record set in 2022.