The national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline stands at $4.111 as of this week. That figure keeps the average above the four-dollar mark that many drivers consider a significant threshold, meaning fill-ups continue to take a noticeable bite out of household budgets. For a driver with a 15-gallon tank, a full fill-up now costs roughly $61.67 on average, compared to less than $55 in states where prices are closer to the national floor.
Prices are up 6.9 cents from last week and 13.3 cents from one month ago, pointing to a steady upward trend rather than a sudden spike. Analysts generally point to a combination of rising crude oil costs, seasonal refinery maintenance that temporarily reduces fuel supply, and increased driving demand as warmer weather brings more vehicles onto the road. The month-over-month increase is the more telling figure here, suggesting the climb has been gradual and broad rather than tied to a single event.
The gap between the most and least expensive states remains wide. California leads the country at $5.949 per gallon, followed by Hawaii at $5.655 and Washington at $5.475, with all three reflecting higher state fuel taxes, stricter environmental fuel blend requirements, and regional supply constraints. At the other end, Oklahoma sits at $3.500, Kansas at $3.525, and Arkansas at $3.601, benefiting from proximity to refining infrastructure, lower state taxes, and simpler fuel blend requirements. Drivers in the cheapest states are paying roughly $2.45 less per gallon than those in California.
Next week, prices will likely depend heavily on crude oil market movements and any updates from major petroleum-producing nations regarding supply levels. Continued warm weather and strong travel demand could push averages slightly higher, while any easing in crude prices could slow or briefly reverse the trend. Drivers in states that have been climbing quickly toward or above the national average should watch local prices closely, as regional swings can move faster than the national figure suggests.
Data source: AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report. Prices are statewide averages for regular unleaded gasoline.