Gas prices: 64 cents higher than a month ago, and no state averages under $3 per gallon
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Gas prices in the United states have risen sharply, with the national average for regular gasoline around $3.58 per gallon, up about 64 cents from a month ago. This marks the largest monthly increase as 2022.
Key context:
– Data from AAA and the U.S. Energy Details Administration show the jump: from about $2.902 per gallon to $3.502 between February 9 and March 9, 2026.
– No state currently averages under $3 per gallon. The cheapest are Kansas (~$3.01), Oklahoma (about $3.04), North Dakota (around $3.09), Missouri, and Arkansas. California remains the most expensive, at roughly $5.34 per gallon, with Washington, Hawaii, Nevada, and Oregon also among the higher-priced states.
– The rise comes amid geopolitical tensions in the Middle East that have pushed crude oil prices higher-nearly $120 per barrel at one point, then easing to around $87.20 for crude and $91.38 for brent.
– The surge is described as one of the largest monthly increases in recent years; year-over-year prices are roughly 50 cents higher.
– Politically, Trump characterized the price spike as a small price to pay for safety, while historical context notes that gas prices under Biden have included higher averages and record highs in 2022.
– The article suggests the current high prices could be temporary, depending largely on how long the Middle East conflict lasts.
Americans are paying more at the pump across most states, with the national average near $3.58 per gallon and California continuing to have the highest prices in the country.
Gas prices: 64 cents higher than a month ago, and no state averages under $3 per gallon
The national average price for regular gas continues to soar, reaching $3.578 per gallon on Wednesday morning. The price point marks a 64-cent-per-gallon increase compared to a month ago, according to AAA.
The rise in gas prices over the last month is the largest single monthly increase since 2022, when fuel costs increased by 71 cents per gallon between February and March, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Between the week of February 9, 2026, and March 9, 2026, the average price for regular grade gasoline rose from $2.902 per gallon to $3.502 per gallon, according to the EIA. Moreover, gas prices today are nearly 50 cents per gallon more expensive than a year ago, according to AAA.
The military conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran has caused the national average for gas prices to surge. Early Monday morning, oil prices spiked to nearly $120 per barrel before dropping significantly by the end of the day. Oil costs have leveled out since then. Currently, crude oil is priced at $87.20 per barrel, while Brent Crude, the world’s benchmark, is at $91.38 per barrel.
High fuel costs have been an anomaly during both terms of President Donald Trump. For most of his time in office, American citizens have enjoyed affordable gas prices, especially compared to the average fuel costs during the Biden administration. However, over the last few weeks, that tide has turned dramatically. The high costs are likely only temporary, depending primarily on the longevity of the conflict in the Middle East. Nevertheless, Americans are paying for it at the pumps.
Trump addressed expensive gas prices in a social media post on Sunday. He categorized the surge in gas prices as a “small price to pay” for world safety and peace, some of the supposed objectives of the military operations against Iran.
“Short term oil prices, which will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over, is a very small price to pay for U.S.A., and World, Safety and Peace,” said Trump. “ONLY FOOLS WOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY!”
During Biden’s time in office, the price for regular gas in the U.S. averaged $3.555 per gallon, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. During this time, the highest yearly average for regular gasoline in U.S. history was recorded at $4.059 per gallon in 2022. The highest monthly average for a gallon of regular gas in U.S. history also occurred during Biden’s term, in June 2022, when the price was $5.032 per gallon. The current trend in gas prices could, if continued, rival the highs Americans experienced under Biden.
Moreover, another sign of trouble is the fact that there are currently no states with an average gas price under $3 per gallon. Just nine days ago, 39 states had prices below the $3-per-gallon threshold. Earlier in the year, there were as many as 43 states.
Currently, the state with the lowest gas prices in the country is Kansas, at $3.008 per gallon. This is followed by Oklahoma, which for months had the cheapest gas prices in the country, now at $3.039 per gallon. North Dakota follows with a price of $3.085, then Missouri and Arkansas with costs of $3.089 and $3.099, respectively.
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California is the state with the most expensive gas prices in the country, a common theme for most of this decade. On Wednesday, the average gas price in the Golden State is up to $5.336 per gallon. California’s Mono County has an average price of $6.055 per gallon, according to AAA.
Washington state has the second-highest gas prices in the U.S., after California, at $4.724 per gallon. Hawaii is next at $4.694. Nevada and Oregon follow with statewide averages of $4.363 and $4.288, respectively.
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