10 States Where Gas Taxes Hurt the Most

NEW YORK (MainStreet) -- The national average gas price rising 30 cents in the past month alone, but everyone feels the sting a little differently. As we reported last week, the price of a gallon of gas varies wildly from one country to another, ranging from just a few cents in Venezuela to close to $10 in Norway and Eritrea. And even within the U.S. there's significant variance, with a low of $3.12 per gallon in Wyoming and a high of $4.32 per gallon in Hawaii.

Why does the price of a gallon of gas vary so much from state to state? As with country-by-country averages, the big culprit is taxation. While drivers in all states are hit with a federal tax of 18.4 cents per gallon, there are also a variety of state-level taxes that hit your wallet at the pump. Using current average gas prices from AAA and state taxation data compiled by the Tax Foundation, we decided to look at the states where taxes (federal and state combined) make up the biggest percentage of the cost of a gallon of gas.

Want to know why you pay so much more for gas than relatives across the country? It could be your state's gas tax.

---

10th-worst state for gas taxes: Wisconsin

Average gas price: $3.60 per gallon
Total taxes per gallon: 51.3 cents
Percent of gas price: 14.25%

---

Ninth-worst state for gas taxes: Washington

Average gas price: $3.86 per gallon
Total taxes per gallon: 55.9 cents
Percent of gas price: 14.48%

---

Eighth-worst state for gas taxes: Hawaii

Average gas price: $4.32 per gallon
Total taxes per gallon: 65.5 cents
Percent of gas price: 15.16%

---

Seventh-worst state for gas taxes: Illinois

Average gas price: $3.76 per gallon
Total taxes per gallon: 57.3 cents
Percent of gas price: 15.24%

---

Sixth-worst state for gas taxes: North Carolina

Average gas price: $3.73 per gallon
Total taxes per gallon: 57.6 cents
Percent of gas price: 15.44%

---

Fifth-worst state for gas taxes: Indiana

Average gas price: $3.68 per gallon
Total taxes per gallon: 57.3 cents
Percent of gas price: 15.57%

---

Fourth-worst state for gas taxes: California

Average gas price: $4.29 per gallon
Total taxes per gallon: 67 cents
Percent of gas price: 15.62%

---

Third-worst State for Gas Taxes: Michigan

Average gas price: $3.69 per gallon
Total taxes per gallon: 57.8 cents
Percent of gas price: 15.66%

---

Second-worst State for Gas Taxes: Connecticut

Average gas price: $3.95 per gallon
Total taxes per gallon: 67 cents
Percent of gas price: 16.96%

---

Worst state for gas taxes: New York

Average gas price: $3.95 per gallon
Total taxes per gallon: 67.4 cents
Percent of gas price: 17.06%

>To submit a news tip, email: [e-mail].

Follow TheStreet on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.