Gas prices nationwide have risen 30 cents in a month, causing financial hardship for 67 percent of homes, a new poll finds.

Though Colorado Springs remains well below the national average--$3.16 a gallon compared to $3.73 a gallon--area drivers are feeling the pinch.

One woman tells 11 News she's not driving as much in order to conserve gas, while another says he is now walking to work.

The poll found people in the West are suffering the most under the weight of high gas prices, followed by the Midwest and South. Eighty-six percent of those polled see no end in sight, while only 6 percent believe prices will drop again.

Economists say high gas prices shouldn't derail economic recovery, as the U.S. is better shape than a year ago, the last time the nation saw a similar jump in gas prices. Most added a caveat, however, that if prices rise above the record of $4.11 a gallon, all bets are off.

Though experts have said gas prices are beyond the president's control, voters don't agree; a small majority think gas prices are something a president can do a lot about. When examined for partisanship, the poll found Republicans were far more likely (71 percent) to blame the president for gas prices than Democrats (42 percent).