Average Gas Prices by State in America 2026
The story of gas prices in the United States in 2026 is one of the most dramatic economic whiplash events in recent memory — a year that began at its cheapest fuel prices since 2021, only to be overtaken by one of the most consequential geopolitical shocks to global oil markets since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. On January 8, 2026, Americans started the new year with a national average gas price of just $2.81 per gallon — the lowest since March 2021, driven by steady global crude supply, OPEC+ production discipline, and four consecutive years of declining annual averages. Energy analysts were confidently forecasting a sub-$3.00 annual average for the year. Then, on February 28, 2026, the United States and Israel launched a joint military operation against Iran — “Operation Epic Fury” — triggering the partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 20% of the world’s oil and refined products flow. Within weeks, crude oil prices surged above $100 per barrel, and U.S. pump prices rose in a near-vertical line: from $2.98 on February 26 to $4.02 on April 1 — a one-dollar increase in just 30 days, the largest monthly gas price jump since the Consumer Price Index was first published in 1967.
As of June 4, 2026 — today — the AAA national average for a gallon of regular gasoline stands at $4.261, roughly $1.28 higher than it was before the Iran conflict began. The current picture is one of elevated but slightly declining prices from the May 2026 peak of $4.55, as global markets adjust to supply chain rerouting and diplomatic signals around Hormuz access. State-level variation remains as dramatic as ever: California leads all states at approximately $4.76 per gallon (down from its May 7 peak of $6.17), while Gulf Coast states — Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas — remain the nation’s cheapest markets, with prices ranging from approximately $3.38 to $3.94 per gallon. This article draws exclusively on data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the American Automobile Association (AAA) Fuel Gauge Report, and verified news sources to deliver the most comprehensive, current, and factual overview of average gas prices by state in the United States in 2026.
Key Facts: Average Gas Prices in the US 2026
QUICK FACTS: U.S. Gas Prices — As of June, 2026
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Fact Value
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AAA national average (today, June 4, 2026) $4.261 per gallon
Lowest national average in 2026 (Jan. 8) $2.81 per gallon
Highest national average in 2026 (May 21) $4.55 per gallon
Pre-conflict national average (Feb. 26, 2026) $2.98 per gallon
Price increase since conflict began +$1.28 per gallon (+43%)
Most expensive state today California (~$4.76/gal)
Least expensive state today Mississippi (~$3.38/gal)
State spread (highest vs. lowest) ~$1.38 per gallon
Peak California price in 2026 (May 7) $6.17 per gallon
Peak Oklahoma price in 2026 (Jan. 1) $2.25 per gallon (year low)
Diesel national average (early June 2026) ~$4.90 per gallon
Crude oil price (June 2026, approx.) ~$95–$100 per barrel
2026 annual average forecast (revised) ~$3.54 (Finder.com EIA data)
Pre-conflict 2026 forecast (GasBuddy, Jan. 2026) $2.97 per gallon
Average household gas spend/month (March 2026) $198.50
══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
| Fact | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| AAA national average (June 4, 2026) | $4.261 per gallon | AAA Fuel Gauge Report, June 4, 2026 |
| Year low national average (Jan. 8, 2026) | $2.81 per gallon | AAA / The Independent US |
| Year high national average (May 21, 2026) | $4.55 per gallon | AAA / Finder.com |
| Pre-Iran conflict national avg. (Feb. 26, 2026) | $2.98 per gallon | AAA / AP News |
| Rise since conflict start | +$1.28/gal (+43%) | Newsweek / AAA data |
| Most expensive state (current, early June) | California — ~$4.76/gal | GasPrice.us, updated June 1, 2026 |
| Least expensive state (current) | Mississippi — ~$3.38/gal | gas-price-check.com / AAA |
| California peak price in 2026 (May 7, 2026) | $6.17 per gallon | LendingTree / AAA |
| Washington state (May 12, 2026) | $5.77 per gallon | LendingTree / AAA |
| Hawaii (May 12, 2026) | $5.64 per gallon | LendingTree / AAA |
| Oklahoma (May 12, 2026) | $3.94 per gallon | LendingTree / AAA |
| Annual average gas price forecast, 2026 (revised) | ~$3.54 per gallon | Finder.com EIA data analysis |
| Original 2026 full-year forecast (GasBuddy, Jan. 2026) | $2.97 per gallon | GasBuddy 2026 Fuel Price Outlook |
| Average household spending per month (March 2026) | $198.50 | Empower Personal Dashboard, March 2026 |
| Average spending per transaction (March 2026) | $45.70 | Empower Personal Dashboard, March 2026 |
| National average highest since | August 2022 | AP News / LendingTree |
| Diesel national average (March 26, 2026) | $5.45 per gallon | AP News / AAA |
| Crude oil price trigger (post-conflict) | >$100 per barrel | AP News / Newsweek |
| Crude component of pump price (est.) | ~51% of retail price | EIA / AAA Oregon |
| EIA forecast for 2026 annual average (March 2026) | $3.88 per gallon | EIA Short-Term Energy Outlook |
Data Sources: AAA Fuel Gauge Report (gasprices.aaa.com), June 4, 2026; U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), June 2, 2026 weekly release; LendingTree, “US Gas Prices Soar Nearly 44% Nationwide” (May 2026); Newsweek, “Gas Prices Set to Stay High Across 2026” (June 2026); Empower Personal Dashboard data, March 2026; GasBuddy 2026 Fuel Price Outlook (January 2026)
The facts table above captures what may be the most economically impactful story at the American gas pump since 2022. Gasoline prices in 2026 have essentially split into two chapters: a record-cheap January–February 2026 period that appeared to confirm a structural new era of affordable fuel, followed by a geopolitically-induced price shock of historic proportions beginning on February 28. The 21.2% monthly increase in gas prices in March 2026 was the largest monthly percentage increase since the Consumer Price Index was first published in 1967, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The conflict has had structurally different effects by region: West Coast states — particularly California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and Hawaii — were already expensive before the conflict and have seen the most dramatic absolute price levels, while Southern and Gulf Coast states have remained relatively more affordable throughout, though all 50 states recorded double-digit year-over-year percentage increases between May 2025 and May 2026.
Average Gas Prices by State in the US 2026 | Complete 50-State Ranking
GAS PRICES BY STATE — SNAPSHOT (AAA DATA, MAY–JUNE 2026 REFERENCE PERIOD)
Most Expensive States ($ per gallon)
California ████████████████████████████████████████████████ $4.76 (Jun 1) / $6.10 (May 3 peak)
Washington ████████████████████████████████████████████ ~$5.00–5.77 range
Hawaii █████████████████████████████████████████████ ~$5.00–5.64 range
Oregon ████████████████████████████████████████████ ~$5.25 (May 3)
Nevada ████████████████████████████████████████ ~$5.17 (May 3)
Alaska ████████████████████████████████████████ ~$5.04 (May 3)
Illinois ████████████████████████████████████████ ~$4.93 (May 3)
Ohio ████████████████████████████████ ~$4.89 (May 3)
Michigan ████████████████████████████████ ~$4.87 (May 3)
Indiana ████████████████████████████████ ~$4.83 (May 3)
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
$0 $1.00 $2.00 $3.00 $4.00 $5.00 $6.00
| Rank | State | Approx. Price (Early June 2026) | May 2026 Peak (AAA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 (Most Expensive) | California | ~$4.76/gal | $6.17 (May 7) |
| #2 | Washington | ~$4.90–5.10/gal | $5.77 (May 12) |
| #3 | Hawaii | ~$4.80–5.00/gal | $5.64 (May 12) |
| #4 | Oregon | ~$4.60–4.80/gal | $5.25 (May 3) |
| #5 | Nevada | ~$4.60–4.80/gal | $5.17 (May 3) |
| #6 | Alaska | ~$4.60–4.80/gal | $5.04 (May 3) |
| #7 | Illinois | ~$4.50–4.70/gal | $4.93 (May 3) |
| #8 | Ohio | ~$4.40–4.60/gal | $4.89 (May 3) |
| #9 | Michigan | ~$4.40–4.60/gal | $4.87 (May 3) |
| #10 | Indiana | ~$4.30–4.50/gal | $4.83 (May 3) |
| #11 | Arizona | ~$4.30–4.50/gal | $4.74 (May 3) |
| #12 | Pennsylvania | ~$4.20–4.40/gal | $4.52 (May 3) |
| #13 | Connecticut | ~$4.20–4.40/gal | $4.52 (May 3) |
| #14 | Idaho | ~$4.10–4.30/gal | $4.46 (May 3) |
| #15 | New York | ~$4.10–4.30/gal | $4.45 (May 3) |
| #16 | Colorado | ~$4.10–4.30/gal | $4.44 (May 3) |
| #17 | New Jersey | ~$4.00–4.20/gal | $4.42 (May 3) |
| #18 | Vermont | ~$4.00–4.20/gal | $4.42 (May 3) |
| #19 | Maine | ~$4.00–4.20/gal | $4.40 (May 3) |
| #20 | Utah | ~$4.00–4.20/gal | $4.39 (May 3) |
| National Average | — | $4.261 (June 4, 2026) | $4.55 (May 21) |
Data Sources: AAA State Gas Price Averages (gasprices.aaa.com); StatRanker.org, “US States by Gasoline Prices 2026: Regular Gas Price Ranking” (May 3, 2026 AAA snapshot); LendingTree analysis of AAA data, May 12, 2026; GasPrice.us, updated June 1, 2026 (EIA data)
The 50-state gas price ranking for 2026 reveals the same structural geography that has defined American fuel pricing for decades — but with every price point dramatically elevated by the Iran conflict. California’s dominance at the top of the rankings is categorical: at its May 7 peak of $6.17 per gallon, California was charging more than twice as much as the cheapest states and more than $1.62 above second-place Washington at $5.77. Even as of early June 2026, after prices have eased from their peak, California at approximately $4.76 still sits roughly $1.38 above the cheapest states and $0.50 above the national average. The reasons are structural and persistent: California imposes approximately 67 cents per gallon in state fuel taxes — among the highest in the nation — requires a unique CARB-specification low-emission gasoline blend not used anywhere else in the country, and relies on a relatively isolated and pipeline-limited refinery network that cannot quickly absorb supply from outside the region. When even a single major California refinery experiences an unplanned outage, statewide prices can jump 30–50 cents per gallon within days, a vulnerability that has played out repeatedly in recent years. The West Coast cluster — California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada, and Alaska — represents the nation’s consistently most expensive fuel market, a structural reality unlikely to change regardless of national price trends.
Cheapest Gas Prices by State in the US 2026
CHEAPEST STATES FOR GAS — EARLY JUNE 2026
(Regional Reference: AAA / EIA data, Late May–Early June 2026)
Mississippi ████████████████████████████████████████ ~$3.38
Louisiana ████████████████████████████████████████ ~$3.45–3.65
Oklahoma ████████████████████████████████████████ ~$3.38–3.94
Texas █████████████████████████████████████████ ~$3.70–3.90
Arkansas ████████████████████████████████████████ ~$3.60–3.80
Kansas ████████████████████████████████████████ ~$3.70–3.90
Missouri ████████████████████████████████████████ ~$3.80
South Carolina████████████████████████████████████████ ~$3.64 (March ref.)
Georgia ████████████████████████████████████████ ~$3.85 (May 3 low)
Tennessee █████████████████████████████████████████ ~$3.90–4.00
National Avg ████████████████████████████████████████████████ $4.261
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────
$0 $1.00 $2.00 $3.00 $4.00 $4.26
| State | Approx. Gas Price (Early June 2026) | Key Reason for Low Price |
|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | ~$3.38–3.59/gal | Gulf Coast refinery proximity; low state gas tax |
| Oklahoma | ~$3.38–3.94/gal | Low state tax; refinery access; domestic production |
| Louisiana | ~$3.45–3.65/gal | Home to major Gulf Coast refineries; low taxes |
| Arkansas | ~$3.60–3.80/gal | Low state gas tax; central distribution |
| Texas | ~$3.70–3.90/gal | Major oil producer; low tax; ample refinery supply |
| Kansas | ~$3.70–3.90/gal | Low state gas tax; inland refinery access |
| Missouri | ~$3.80/gal | Low state excise tax; central US distribution |
| South Carolina | ~$3.64–3.80/gal | Low state gas tax; easy pipeline access |
| Georgia | ~$3.85–4.00/gal | Low state tax; good Southeast supply chain |
| Tennessee | ~$3.90–4.10/gal | Low taxes; good pipeline access from Gulf |
| National Average | $4.261 | AAA, June 4, 2026 |
Data Sources: AAA State Gas Price Averages, June 2026; gas-price-check.com (EIA-sourced), June 2026; LendingTree / AAA data as of May 12, 2026; Fox News / AAA state prices, March 2026
The cheapest states for gas in the United States in 2026 are a geography lesson in the economics of fuel supply chains. Mississippi, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, Kansas, and Missouri — all consistently near the bottom of the price rankings — share two defining characteristics: proximity to Gulf Coast refining capacity and low state-level gasoline tax burdens. The Gulf Coast is home to the largest concentration of petroleum refining infrastructure in the Western hemisphere, with refineries along the Texas and Louisiana coastlines processing millions of barrels of crude per day and distributing finished gasoline via pipeline networks across the South and Midwest at lower per-mile transport costs than states in the Northeast or West Coast. Mississippi and Oklahoma have regularly traded the title of cheapest state throughout 2026 — Oklahoma led at the January 1 nadir of $2.25 per gallon, while Mississippi held the lowest ranking at the May 12 update at $3.98 per gallon (later falling further to approximately $3.38–3.59 by early June as prices eased from their peak). The gap between the cheapest and most expensive state — approximately $1.38 per gallon in early June 2026, down from the extraordinary $2.25 spread at the May 2026 peak — represents a real and material difference for American households, particularly those in high-mileage, car-dependent regions.
Gas Prices by State in the US 2026 | Full Middle-Tier States
MIDDLE-TIER STATES — APPROXIMATE GAS PRICES (Early June 2026 Reference)
New Hampshire ~$4.10 ████████████████████████████████████████████████
Maryland ~$4.00 ████████████████████████████████████████████████
Massachusetts ~$4.10 █████████████████████████████████████████████████
Rhode Island ~$4.00 ████████████████████████████████████████████████
Delaware ~$4.00 ████████████████████████████████████████████████
Virginia ~$3.90 ███████████████████████████████████████████████
North Carolina ~$3.90 ███████████████████████████████████████████████
Florida ~$4.00 ████████████████████████████████████████████████
Georgia ~$3.90 ███████████████████████████████████████████████
Washington DC ~$4.16 █████████████████████████████████████████████████
Nebraska ~$3.85 ███████████████████████████████████████████████
Iowa ~$3.90 ███████████████████████████████████████████████
Minnesota ~$4.10 █████████████████████████████████████████████████
Wisconsin ~$4.00 ████████████████████████████████████████████████
North Dakota ~$3.90 ███████████████████████████████████████████████
South Dakota ~$3.90 ███████████████████████████████████████████████
Montana ~$4.00 ████████████████████████████████████████████████
Wyoming ~$3.85 ███████████████████████████████████████████████
New Mexico ~$3.90 ███████████████████████████████████████████████
└────────────────────────────────────────────────
$3.60 $3.80 $4.00 $4.20 $4.40
| State | Approx. Gas Price (Early June 2026) | Year-over-Year Change |
|---|---|---|
| Florida | ~$4.00/gal | +~43% vs. May 2025 |
| Virginia | ~$3.90–4.00/gal | Elevated vs. prior year |
| North Carolina | ~$3.90–4.00/gal | Elevated vs. prior year |
| Georgia | ~$3.85–4.00/gal | Elevated vs. prior year |
| Minnesota | ~$4.10/gal | Elevated; Great Lakes market |
| Wisconsin | ~$4.00/gal | Some of the biggest YoY increases |
| Maryland | ~$4.00/gal | East Coast pricing dynamics |
| Massachusetts | ~$4.10/gal | Higher Northeast baseline |
| New Hampshire | ~$4.10/gal | +56% vs. May 2025 ($2.87→$4.48) |
| New York | ~$4.20–4.30/gal | Above national average; state taxes |
| Washington D.C. | ~$4.16/gal | March 26 reference; above avg. |
| North Dakota | ~$3.90/gal | Lower plains; good supply access |
| Wyoming | ~$3.85/gal | Energy-producing state; lower prices |
| Nebraska | ~$3.85/gal | Central plains distribution |
| New Mexico | ~$3.90/gal | Southwest; lower tax regime |
Data Sources: AAA state-level price data cross-referenced via Fox News / AAA mapping (March 26, 2026); LendingTree year-over-year state analysis (May 2026); AAA Oregon/Idaho regional update (April 29, 2026)
The middle-tier states of 2026 — predominantly the South Atlantic, parts of the Midwest, and the Plains — are largely priced in the $3.85 to $4.20 per gallon range in early June 2026, clustering near or slightly below the national average. Florida, despite its geographic position in the South, tends to price above the Gulf Coast’s cheapest markets due to its reliance on pipeline supply from further afield and a relatively competitive but density-challenged distribution network. New Hampshire stands out in this middle tier for a specific statistical reason: it recorded one of the largest year-over-year percentage price increases of any state, rising 56.0% from $2.87 in May 2025 to $4.48 in May 2026 — the second-largest single-state surge behind only Ohio’s 57.2% increase from $2.97 to $4.68 in the same window. These Northeastern and Midwestern states had relatively low baseline prices in May 2025, making the percentage jump look especially large even though the resulting absolute price is similar to the national average. The Plains states — North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Iowa — benefit from central U.S. pipeline distribution and generally moderate state fuel taxes, placing them below the national average but above the deep-South bargain tier.
Gas Price Trend by Month in the US 2026
NATIONAL AVERAGE GAS PRICE BY MONTH — 2026 (Regular Unleaded, $ per gallon)
Source: AAA / EIA / Finder.com
Jan 1 ████████████████████████████████████████████████ $2.83 ← Year starts cheap
Jan 8 █████████████████████████████████████████████████ $2.81 ← Year low
Feb 26 █████████████████████████████████████████████████ $2.98 ← Pre-conflict baseline
Mar 1 Iran/Strait of Hormuz conflict begins ▼
Mar 26 ████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████ $3.98 (+$1.00 in 30 days)
Apr avg ███████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████ $4.10 ← 6th highest month since 1992
May 12 ████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████ $4.50
May 21 ████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████ $4.55 ← 2026 year HIGH
Jun 4 ███████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████ $4.261 ← TODAY
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
$0 $1.00 $2.00 $3.00 $4.00 $4.55
| Date / Period | National Average (Regular) | Key Driver |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | $2.83/gal | OPEC+ no production hike; strong U.S. supply |
| January 8, 2026 | $2.81/gal | 2026 year low — cheapest since March 2021 |
| February 26, 2026 | $2.98/gal | Final pre-conflict baseline |
| February 28, 2026 | Conflict begins | U.S.-Israel launch “Operation Epic Fury” vs. Iran |
| March 26, 2026 | $3.98/gal | +$1.00 in 30 days — historic monthly surge |
| April 1, 2026 | $4.02/gal | First $4.00 average since August 2022 |
| April 2026 (monthly avg.) | $4.10/gal | 6th highest monthly average on record (since 1992) |
| May 12, 2026 | $4.50/gal | +43.6% vs. May 12, 2025 ($3.14) |
| May 21, 2026 | $4.55/gal | 2026 annual high |
| June 4, 2026 (today) | $4.261/gal | Slight easing from peak; Hormuz uncertainty |
| 2026 annual average (forecast revised) | ~$3.54/gal | Finder.com EIA data analysis |
| Original 2026 forecast (pre-conflict) | $2.97/gal | GasBuddy January 2026 outlook |
Data Sources: AAA Fuel Gauge Report (gasprices.aaa.com); Finder.com, “Weekly Gas Price Averages 2018–2026” (updated); LendingTree, May 2026; AP News, “National Average for Gas Tops $4 a Gallon” (April 2026)
The month-by-month gas price trend in 2026 is the defining consumer finance story of the year. The $1.00 increase in a single month from February 26 to March 26 was the fastest dollar-per-gallon monthly increase ever recorded in AAA’s modern tracking history, and the 21.2% March 2026 monthly increase was the largest monthly gain in the Consumer Price Index’s history for gasoline, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. April 2026’s monthly average of $4.10 per gallon became the sixth-highest monthly average ever recorded, going back to 1992 EIA data — placing it alongside the inflation peaks of 2022 and the demand surges of 2008. The May 21 peak of $4.55 brought the U.S. national average to its highest level since July 2022, when prices averaged $4.56 per gallon in the aftermath of Russia’s Ukraine invasion. Prices have pulled back somewhat from that peak — today’s $4.261 reflects a roughly $0.29 decline from the May high — but analysts at GasBuddy and elsewhere caution that Hormuz traffic has not been fully restored, and that meaningful further declines will require clear diplomatic resolution and confirmed resumption of normal oil tanker transit through the Strait. The 2026 revised annual average forecast of approximately $3.54 is dramatically higher than the pre-conflict GasBuddy forecast of $2.97 — a difference that translates to an estimated additional $400–600 per household in fuel costs for the year.
Gas Price by Year in the US 2026 | Historical Trend
U.S. NATIONAL AVERAGE GAS PRICE BY YEAR — Actual & Forecast
Source: EIA Annual Averages / LendingTree / GasBuddy / AAA
2016 ████████████████████████████████████ $2.14
2017 █████████████████████████████████████ $2.42
2018 ███████████████████████████████████████ $2.72
2019 ████████████████████████████████████████ $2.60
2020 ██████████████████████████████████████ $2.18 ← COVID low
2021 █████████████████████████████████████████████ $3.01 (+38.7%)
2022 ██████████████████████████████████████████████████ $3.95 ← All-time nominal record
2023 █████████████████████████████████████████████████ $3.53 (-10.6%)
2024 ████████████████████████████████████████████████ $3.30 (-6.5%)
2025 ██████████████████████████████████████████████ $3.14 (-4.8%)
2026 ████████████████████████████████████████████████ ~$3.54 (REVISED forecast)
↑ Originally forecast $2.97 before Iran conflict
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
$0 $1.00 $2.00 $3.00 $4.00
| Year | Annual Average Gas Price (Regular) | Year-over-Year Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $2.60/gal | Pre-pandemic baseline |
| 2020 | $2.18/gal | -16.2% — COVID pandemic demand crash |
| 2021 | $3.01/gal | +38.7% — demand recovery surge |
| 2022 | $3.95/gal | +31.2% — All-time nominal annual record |
| 2023 | $3.53/gal | -10.6% — first annual decline |
| 2024 | $3.30/gal | -6.5% — second consecutive decline |
| 2025 | $3.14/gal | -4.8% — third consecutive decline (confirmed) |
| 2026 (original forecast, pre-conflict) | $2.97/gal | Would have been first sub-$3 since 2020 |
| 2026 (revised forecast, post-conflict) | ~$3.54/gal | Iran conflict disruption; +19% vs. 2025 |
Data Sources: EIA Annual Average Retail Gasoline Prices; LendingTree analysis of EIA data (May 2026); Finder.com gas price weekly averages (updated 2026); GasBuddy 2026 Fuel Price Outlook (January 2026)
The historical gas price trend from 2019 to 2026 captures two generations of fuel price shock in just seven years. The COVID-19 pandemic year of 2020 produced the lowest annual average since 2004 at $2.18 per gallon, followed by the steepest recovery surge on record — +38.7% in 2021 and +31.2% in 2022, producing an all-time nominal annual record of $3.95 per gallon in 2022. The three years that followed — 2023, 2024, and 2025 — brought consistent and meaningful relief at the pump, with annual declines of approximately 10.6%, 6.5%, and 4.8% respectively, lowering the annual average to $3.14 per gallon in 2025 — the lowest since 2021. GasBuddy’s January 2026 forecast of $2.97 for the full year would have made 2026 the first year since 2020 with a sub-$3.00 annual average, and would have represented the fourth consecutive year of declining annual prices, pointing toward a structural normalization of the oil market.
That trajectory has been decisively interrupted. The Iran conflict has added an estimated $0.57 per gallon to the expected 2026 annual average, pushing the revised forecast to approximately $3.54 — roughly equal to 2023’s level and a meaningful reversal of the trend. Whether 2026 ultimately lands above or below 2025 depends almost entirely on how quickly and fully the Strait of Hormuz is reopened to commercial oil tanker traffic. Energy experts cited by Newsweek are unanimous on the point: until ships are transiting normally through the Strait in significant numbers, the national average is unlikely to fall sustainably below $4.00 per gallon, regardless of other factors. The EIA’s March 2026 revised STEO forecast of $3.88 for the 2026 annual average assumes partial normalization by mid-to-late 2026, but acknowledges substantial uncertainty.
Gas Tax by State in the US 2026 | How Taxes Drive Price Differences
APPROXIMATE TOTAL GAS TAX BURDEN BY STATE — Cents Per Gallon (2026)
(Federal 18.4¢ + State excise tax + additional fees)
Source: EIA Federal & State Motor Fuel Taxes 2026
California ████████████████████████████████████████████████████████ 88.8¢ (67¢ state + 18.4¢ federal + fees)
Pennsylvania ██████████████████████████████████████████████████████ 76.5¢ (highest state excise in nation)
Washington ████████████████████████████████████████████████████ 74.0¢
New Jersey ████████████████████████████████████████████████ 62.7¢
Oregon ████████████████████████████████████████████ 60.0¢
Illinois ██████████████████████████████████████████ 57.6¢
New York ████████████████████████████████████████ 52.0¢
Indiana ████████████████████████████████████████ 50.0¢ (est.)
Oklahoma ████████████████ 26.4¢ (one of lowest)
Alaska ████████████████ 26.4¢ (lowest federal+state)
Mississippi █████████████████ 27.0¢
Texas █████████████████ 38.4¢
Federal Only ██████████████ 18.4¢ (applies all states)
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
0¢ 20¢ 40¢ 60¢ 80¢ 90¢
| State | Approx. Total Gas Tax (fed + state + fees, 2026) | Context |
|---|---|---|
| California | ~88.8¢ per gallon | 67¢ state component; CARB blend requirement adds further costs |
| Pennsylvania | ~76.5¢ per gallon | Highest state excise tax in the nation |
| Washington | ~74.0¢ per gallon | High tax + carbon fee adds costs |
| New Jersey | ~62.7¢ per gallon | Significant state tax burden |
| Oregon | ~60.0¢ per gallon | High state tax; no self-serve stations (until 2024) |
| Illinois | ~57.6¢ per gallon | Among highest in Midwest |
| New York | ~52.0¢ per gallon | State + city-level taxes in NYC area |
| Indiana | ~50.0¢ per gallon (est.) | Elevated Midwest tax |
| Texas | ~38.4¢ per gallon | Federal 18.4¢ + 20¢ state |
| Mississippi | ~27.0¢ per gallon | Low state excise; near federal floor |
| Oklahoma | ~26.4¢ per gallon | Among lowest total tax burdens |
| Alaska | ~26.4¢ per gallon | Lowest state gas tax in the nation (~8¢ state); offset by supply costs |
| Federal Tax (all states) | 18.4¢ per gallon | Unchanged since 1993; worth ~8¢ in 2026 inflation-adjusted dollars |
Data Sources: EIA, “Federal and State Motor Fuel Taxes” (updated 2026); AAA Oregon/Idaho, “Gas Prices Climb to Highest Level Since the Start of the Iran Conflict” (April 29, 2026); NBC News, “The Federal Gas Tax Is on Trump’s Hit List” (May 2026)
Gas taxes are the single most controllable variable in state-level pump price differences, and the 2026 rankings show exactly how powerfully tax policy shapes what drivers pay at the pump. California’s total gasoline tax burden of approximately 88.8 cents per gallon — combining a 67-cent state component with the federal 18.4 cents plus additional fees — is the highest in the nation and a core reason why California prices consistently lead all 50 states by a wide margin. Even if California were to pay the same crude oil, refining, and distribution costs as Oklahoma, its pump price would still be approximately 62 cents per gallon higher purely due to the tax differential. Pennsylvania holds the distinction of having the highest state excise tax rate on gasoline in the United States, though California’s total burden is higher when all components are included. Alaska represents a paradox: it has the lowest state gas tax in the nation at approximately 8 cents per gallon, yet its pump prices consistently rank in the top five because of extreme distribution costs — there are no interstate pipelines to Alaska, and fuel must be shipped or barged to most communities, adding significant logistics costs. The federal gas tax of 18.4 cents per gallon has remained frozen since 1993, and in 2026 dollars represents only about 8 cents of real purchasing power — a point that has made it a political target for suspension by the Trump administration amid the Iran-conflict price surge. An NBC News analysis found, however, that even suspending both state and federal taxes would still leave prices approximately 35% above their pre-conflict levels.
Gas Prices in the US 2026 vs. Prior Years | Year-over-Year by State
STATES WITH LARGEST YEAR-OVER-YEAR GAS PRICE INCREASES (May 2025 → May 2026)
Source: LendingTree analysis of AAA data, May 2026
Ohio ████████████████████████████████████████████████████ +57.2% ($2.97 → $4.68)
New Hampshire ████████████████████████████████████████████████████ +56.0% ($2.87 → $4.48)
Michigan ████████████████████████████████████████████████████ +53.8% ($3.06 → $4.71)
Indiana ████████████████████████████████████████████████ +52.0% (est.)
Wisconsin █████████████████████████████████████████████████ +51.0% (est.)
12 states total ████████████████████████████████████████████████ +50%+ increase
National Avg ██████████████████████████████████████████ +43.6% ($3.14 → $4.50)
California █████████████████████████████ +36.0% (est., high baseline)
Oklahoma ████████████████████████████ +35.0% (est.)
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
0% 20% 40% 60%
Year-over-year % change May 2025→May 2026
| State | May 2025 Price | May 2026 Price | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | $2.97/gal | $4.68/gal | +57.2% (largest increase) |
| New Hampshire | $2.87/gal | $4.48/gal | +56.0% |
| Michigan | $3.06/gal | $4.71/gal | +53.8% |
| National Average | $3.14/gal | $4.50/gal | +43.6% |
| California | ~$4.30/gal (est.) | ~$6.00/gal (est.) | +~40% (est.) |
| Oklahoma | ~$2.77/gal | ~$3.94/gal | +~42% |
| All 50 states | — | — | Double-digit increases in every state |
Data Sources: LendingTree, “US Gas Prices Soar Nearly 44% Nationwide” (May 2026); AAA state price archives; EIA monthly data
The year-over-year gas price comparison for May 2025 to May 2026 underscores just how comprehensively and uniformly the Iran conflict has impacted American drivers — with every single state recording a double-digit percentage increase in the year-over-year comparison, something that has never previously occurred in AAA’s modern tracking history. The states with the largest percentage increases — Ohio (+57.2%), New Hampshire (+56%), and Michigan (+53.8%) — are states that had particularly low baseline prices in May 2025, amplifying the relative size of the jump. Ohio’s move from $2.97 to $4.68 represents an additional $1.71 per gallon cost for every fill-up — a real-world impact of roughly an extra $25–$30 per tank for the average Ohio driver. California, despite having the highest absolute prices, had a smaller percentage increase precisely because its baseline was already high; a state moving from $4.30 to $6.00 shows a roughly 40% increase versus Ohio’s 57%. Twelve states recorded increases of 50% or more in the May-to-May comparison. The national average increase of 43.6% — from $3.14 to $4.50 — is the largest year-over-year national average jump since the 2021–2022 post-pandemic surge.
Frequently Asked Questions: Gas Prices by State in the US 2026
Q: What is the average gas price in the US today, June 4, 2026? The AAA national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is $4.261 as of June 4, 2026, down from the 2026 peak of $4.55 on May 21, 2026, but still approximately $1.28 above the pre-Iran conflict baseline of $2.98 on February 26, 2026.
Q: Which state has the most expensive gas in 2026? California is consistently the most expensive state, with an early June 2026 price of approximately $4.76 per gallon — down from its 2026 peak of $6.17 per gallon on May 7, 2026, per AAA. The high prices reflect California’s 67-cent state gas tax, unique CARB fuel blend requirements, and an isolated refinery network.
Q: Which state has the cheapest gas in 2026? Mississippi and Oklahoma are consistently the cheapest states. As of early June 2026, Mississippi is averaging approximately $3.38–3.59 per gallon, with Oklahoma also near that range. Both states benefit from Gulf Coast refinery proximity and low state fuel taxes.
Q: Why did gas prices spike so much in 2026? The primary cause is the U.S.-Israel military operation against Iran (“Operation Epic Fury”), which began on February 28, 2026, and led to partial disruption of the Strait of Hormuz — through which approximately 20% of the world’s oil flows. Crude oil prices rose above $100 per barrel, from roughly $70 before the conflict, translating directly into pump price increases. The March 2026 monthly gas price increase of 21.2% was the largest single-month increase since the Consumer Price Index was first published in 1967.
Q: What was the cheapest gas price in 2026? The national average hit its 2026 low of $2.81 per gallon on January 8, 2026 — the cheapest national average since March 2021. Oklahoma’s statewide average hit $2.25 per gallon on January 1, 2026 — the lowest state-level price recorded anywhere in the country for the year.
Q: Will gas prices come down in 2026? Energy analysts, including GasBuddy’s Patrick De Haan, indicate that prices will remain elevated as long as the Strait of Hormuz is not fully operational. The EIA’s revised March 2026 STEO forecast projects a 2026 annual average of approximately $3.88 per gallon, implying some price reduction from May–June peaks by late 2026, but meaningful sustained relief is tied directly to Hormuz access being reestablished.
Disclaimer: The data research report we present here is based on information found from various sources. We are not liable for any financial loss, errors, or damages of any kind that may result from the use of the information herein. We acknowledge that though we try to report accurately, we cannot verify the absolute facts of everything that has been represented.
