It costs less to operate a car in Oregon than in any other state in the union — according to research released Wednesday by financial aggregator Bankrate.com.

In Oregon, the average cost of repairs, insurance, gas, taxes and fees amounts to about $2200 a year. The national average? $3200.

And the highest? $4200 a year in Georgia.

In another study, Casey Bond of gobankingrates.com, says banks also appear to offer less expensive loans in Oregon — maybe because drivers are safer.

“When a pool of applicants is lower risk, lenders have the ability to offer more competitive rates,” Bond said.

Other reasons why driving in Oregon is cheaper include: the lack of a sales tax; motorists drive less than in most other states; Oregon has the lowest vehicle fees in the nation according to Kelly Blue Book; and finally, Oregon has relatively low insurance premiums.

http://www.bankrate.com

http://www.gobankingrates.com/auto-loans/study-best-worst-states-financing-new-car/

This story originally appeared on Oregon Public Broadcasting.