The national average price for regular gas increased again on Tuesday, climbing to $4.533 per gallon. It marked the third consecutive day of pump price increases, less than a week before the Memorial Day Weekend holiday, traditionally recognized as the beginning of the summer season.
Gas prices have fluctuated between $4.50 and $4.56 per gallon for the last few weeks as the war with Iran and blockades in the Strait of Hormuz continue to send fuel costs soaring. On Sunday, the national average price for gas was $4.513 per gallon. This remained steady on Monday with an ever-so-slight increase to $4.515 per gallon, before rising to Tuesday’s high, according to AAA. However, eight days ago, gas averaged $4.52 per gallon, and a week ago, it decreased to $4.504 per gallon.
Earlier in May, gas prices rose by more than 30 cents per gallon in a week, pushing the national average from $4.176 to $4.483. And while prices have risen and fallen in the last week, the national average price currently remains slightly lower than the 2026 high of $4.56 per gallon set last week, according to AAA.
Gas price fluctuations are nothing new in 2026, as the national average has ranged from below $2.80 per gallon to over $4.50 per gallon this year. Since gas prices fell to $2.79 per gallon on Jan. 12, a five-year low, fuel costs have gradually risen, as mentioned above. Initially, winter weather nationwide was blamed for rising fuel costs, as snowstorms in January and February disrupted oil refinery operations and production. However, fuel prices began to soar after the Iran war began.
During the first week of March, a gallon of regular gas increased to $2.98. By March 31, the national average price of regular gas had risen to $4.02 per gallon. Gas prices had previously reached a 2026 high of $4.16 per gallon on April 9. As a result, soaring fuel costs have been a frequent topic of discussion, with Democrats blaming President Donald Trump’s choice to go to war with Iran as the primary reason gas prices are high.
Nevertheless, despite the recent turbulence at the pumps, the nation’s gas prices vary by state and by region. Currently, the most expensive gas prices in the nation are in the western U.S., while the cheapest are in Gulf states.
California has the most expensive gas prices in the country at $6.146 per gallon. This is followed by Washington state at $5.785 per gallon. Next is Hawaii, with a statewide average price of $5.649 per gallon, and then Oregon, with an average price of $5.344 per gallon. Alaska rounds out the top five states with the highest fuel costs in the nation, with an average price of $5.28 per gallon.
As for the states with the most affordable gas prices in the country, there’s been a substantial realignment in the rankings.
Texas now has the lowest gas prices in the country, with an average of $3.994 per gallon. Mississippi is next, only slightly behind, with a statewide average of $3.998 per gallon, followed by Georgia at $3.999 per gallon. Next is Louisiana, with an average price of $4.026 per gallon, followed by Oklahoma, which has been the state with the cheapest gas prices in the nation for most of the last 2 years. On Tuesday, the statewide average in the Sooner State is $4.049 per gallon.
