Share and Follow
The ongoing conflict with Iran has sparked a noticeable rise in gas prices across the United States, with certain states experiencing sharper hikes than others.
According to AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline climbed to $3.32 on Friday, marking an increase of about 34 cents from the previous week. Nonetheless, certain states are witnessing even more significant surges.
In nine states, gas prices have surged by more than 40 cents over the last week, with Indiana and Ohio leading the pack, where the cost of regular gasoline has jumped by 45 cents.
Gas prices: Discover the optimal and suboptimal days to refuel in all 50 states.
Analyzing metro-level data reveals that some regions are experiencing price hikes nearly double the national average. In cities such as Laredo, Texas; Winchester, Virginia; and Jefferson County, West Virginia, prices have soared by over 65 cents in a week. Other metropolitan areas, including Fort Wayne, Indiana; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Orlando, Florida, have witnessed increases exceeding 50 cents.
Metro-level data shows some areas have seen increases nearly twice as large as the national average. In Laredo, Texas, Winchester, Virginia, and Jefferson County, West Virginia, prices are up more than 65 cents from a week ago. Other metro areas, including Fort Wayne, Indiana, Cincinnati, Ohio and Orlando, Florida, are up over 50 cents.
At $3.32 per gallon, Friday’s national average was still far below AAA’s record from June 2022, when regular topped $5. But this week’s run-up marks the fastest weekly jump since March 2022, at the start of the Russia-Ukraine war.
The 10 states where gas prices have risen the most over the past week
Change from a week earlier in the average price of a gallon of regular (AAA data as of March 6)
- Indiana: +$0.45
- Ohio: +$0.45
- Florida: +$0.44
- West Virginia: +$0.42
- Arizona: +$0.41
- Georgia: +$0.41
- Maryland: +$0.41
- Oklahoma: +$0.41
- Louisiana: +$0.40
- Minnesota: +$0.39
Where are drivers paying the most for gas?
The states seeing the biggest price jumps aren’t necessarily the most expensive.
California has the highest average gas price in the nation at $4.91 per gallon, up from $4.64 a week ago, according to AAA. In San Francisco and Santa Rosa, the average price for regular is now over $5.
Nearby Washington ($4.49) and Oregon ($4.09) also have some of the highest gas prices in the nation, even though their increases over the past week have trailed the national average.
Arizona and Maryland stand out as two states where drivers are seeing both some of the highest prices and biggest gains over the past week.
On the other end of the spectrum, gas prices are lowest in Kansas, Oklahoma and Mississippi, according to AAA data as of Friday.
The 10 states with the highest gas prices
The average cost for a gallon of regular (AAA data as of March 6)
National average: $3.32
- California: $4.91
- Washington: $4.49
- Hawaii: $4.45
- Oregon: $4.09
- Nevada: $3.97
- Alaska: $3.78
- Arizona: $3.70
- Pennsylvania: $3.46
- Illinois: $3.40
- Maryland: $3.36
Why are gas prices up?
This week’s price surge is directly tied to rising oil prices, which hit their highest level since 2023 on Friday. The renewed conflict in the Middle East has disrupted energy trade flows, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz a narrow waterway that is one of the world’s most important oil chokepoints.
The cost of crude oil is the single largest factor in how much drivers pay at the pump. Brent crude, the international benchmark, has jumped from around $70 per barrel late last week to about $92 as of Friday.
Prices at the pump typically rise in the spring as refineries transition to pricier summer-blend gasoline and travel demand increases, but those factors aren’t driving the recent spike.
“Make no mistake, the primary impact of what Americans are feeling this week is driven by what happened in Iran,” Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, told earlier this week.
De Haan added: “It’s normal for gas prices to go up in the spring, but it’s not normal for those increases to be greatly accelerated by a military campaign overseas.”
President Donald Trump has framed the price hikes as a temporary cost tied to the military campaign in Iran.
Gas prices will “drop very rapidly when this is over,” Trump told Reuters on Thursday. “If they rise, they rise, but this is far more important than having gasoline prices go up a little bit.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said this week that the president’s energy team has been planning for this and that the administration is “focused on keeping prices stable.”
“The Trump Administration will continue to unleash American energy dominance, and tap into our newfound oil in Venezuela,” Leavitt posted to X on Thursday.
It’s unclear how long the conflict will last, but Trump has suggested it could be several weeks.