New York City ? The cost of filling up the family car climbed to a record high Tuesday, adding to the challenges consumers already face with falling home values and rising food prices.

Gas prices at the pump rose overnight to a record national average of $3.2272 a gallon, according to AAA and the Oil Price Information Service. That’s a tad higher than the previous record of $3.2265, set last May.

Soaring gas prices worsen the financial plight of consumers already suffering through a downturn in the housing market that has sharply reduced home prices in many markets and limited Americans’ ability to tap home equity for spending. Food prices are also on the rise, partly due to rising fuel costs.

In Lawrence, the average cost of a gallon of regular unleaded was $3.14 on Tuesday, down 0.7 cent from a day earlier, according to AAA and the Oil Price Information Service.