VICTORVILLE • As gas prices soar above $4, High Desert residents are among those feeling the worst pain at the pump in Southern California, according to a study released Thursday.

With longer commutes and lower incomes, locals are feeling more of a pinch from the increasing gas prices compared to the wealthier population closer to business centers, and it can impede the economic recovery in the area, researchers say.

“What it means for the High Desert is that people will change their consumption patterns,” cutting back on luxury spending, said Johannes Moenius, associate professor at the University of Redlands School of Business.

The Institute for Spatial Economic Analysis at the University of Redlands School of Business analyzed by ZIP codes how much consumers spend on gas on average to commute to work as a share of their disposable income.

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