MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Tennessee gas prices climbed just enough this week to remind drivers that “cheap” is apparently a relative term, but not enough to knock the state out of the national bargain bin.

By Wednesday evening, Tennessee had moved into the No. 4 spot for the cheapest regular unleaded gas in the country. The statewide average for 87-octane settled at $3.46 per gallon. Premium grade fuel averaged $4.34 per gallon, while diesel came in at $4.62 per gallon, ranking Tennessee 15th cheapest in the nation for diesel.

Here in Rutherford County, drivers were doing slightly better than the state average. Regular unleaded was selling for an average of $3.32 per gallon, which is about as close to good news as anyone gets at a gas pump these days. South of Murfreesboro, gas was averaging around $3.37 per gallon, still lower than the statewide figure.

Of course, if paying less feels too easy, drivers can always head one county west. Williamson County, home to Franklin and Brentwood, currently has the highest average gas price in Tennessee. Regular unleaded there was averaging $3.88 per gallon, proving once again that the scenery may be pretty, but apparently so is the markup.

Nationally, Indiana was among the cheapest places to fill up, with regular unleaded averaging around $3.32 per gallon. That is practically pennies on the dollar when compared to California and Hawaii, where drivers are paying what feels less like a fuel bill and more like a monthly subscription to sadness. In both states, regular unleaded was averaging about $5.53 per gallon.

For those driving vehicles that require premium fuel — also known as “liquid gold with a nozzle” — Oklahoma may be worth considering for a summer road trip. It may not have endless beaches or a major theme park on every corner, but with premium averaging around $4.15 per gallon, drivers may at least be able to fill up without checking their credit score first. Tennessee ranked No. 6 nationally for premium unleaded, with an average price of $4.34 per gallon.

Diesel drivers are seeing a similar spread. Oklahoma currently has the lowest diesel prices in the country at about $4.26 per gallon. On the other end of the spectrum, Hawaii and California are leading the way in the category no one wants to win, with diesel averaging $7.06 and $6.71 per gallon, respectively.

So while Tennessee prices have moved slightly higher, the state remains one of the more affordable places in America to buy gas. Rutherford County drivers, in particular, are still seeing prices below the state average — which may not make filling up enjoyable, but at least it makes the pain a little less dramatic.