Gas Price Update — Week of July 20, 2026

The national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline stands at $4.003 this week, pushing the average back above the four-dollar threshold. For a typical driver filling a 15-gallon tank, that works out to roughly $60 per fill-up. While prices remain well below the record highs seen in recent years, crossing back over four dollars is a notable marker for many household budgets and a signal that fuel costs continue to demand attention at the pump.

Prices climbed 13.1 cents over the past week, a significant single-week jump that outpaces the more modest 5.2-cent rise recorded over the past month. The sharper weekly increase suggests that pressure on prices has accelerated recently rather than building gradually. Refinery output changes, seasonal fuel blend switchovers, and fluctuations in crude oil markets are among the most common factors behind these kinds of short-term spikes, and any combination of those forces appears to be pushing costs upward right now.

The gap between the most and least expensive states remains wide this week. California leads the nation at $5.497 per gallon, followed closely by Hawaii at $5.415 and Washington at $5.014. On the other end of the scale, Indiana comes in as the cheapest state at $3.353, with Mississippi at $3.570 and Texas at $3.571 rounding out the bottom three. Drivers in the least expensive states are paying roughly $2.15 less per gallon than those in California, a difference that adds up quickly for regular commuters.

Next week, watch for any movement in crude oil prices, which remain one of the strongest short-term drivers of what consumers pay at the pump. Continued refinery transitions related to summer fuel blends could sustain upward pressure in certain regions, particularly on the West Coast. If crude prices stabilize or pull back, the pace of increases may slow. However, if this week's trend continues, a national average of $4.10 or higher is within reach before the week is out.