In December 2025, the White House said that “Americans are spending less on gas than they have in years — and this is only the beginning.” But today, the numbers are telling a different story, and it’s one that could send drivers rushing to fill up their tanks.
Gas prices are climbing again across the U.S., and a sudden spike in global oil markets tied to the escalating conflict involving Iran is helping push them higher.
As of March 10, the national average for regular gas is $3.53 a gallon, rising from $3.48 yesterday, $3.11 a week ago, and $2.92 a month ago, according to AAA data. But those numbers fluctuate considerably across the country. Read on to learn more about where gas prices are rising the fastest.
Why Are Gas Prices Rising?
The surge began after U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran in late February rattled energy markets and sent crude oil prices sharply upward. Oil briefly climbed above $110 per barrel — levels not seen in years — as traders worried the fighting could disrupt shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil routes.
As crude rises, the effect quickly filters down to gas stations, and national averages have jumped in recent days, according to AAA data.
Where Are Gas Prices Rising the Most?
Gas prices aren’t rising evenly across the country. Using data from AAA’s latest state-by-state price map, the biggest increases are showing up on the West Coast where drivers already tend to pay some of the highest prices in the nation.
| State | Price as of 3/10/26 | Week Ago Avg. | Month Ago Avg. | Year Ago Avg. |
| California | $5.290 | $4.674 | $4.496 | $4.712 |
| Washington | $4.687 | $4.381 | $4.055 | $4.102 |
| Hawaii | $4.594 | $4.403 | $4.402 | $4.533 |
| Nevada | $4.297 | $3.731 | $3.561 | $3.764 |
| Oregon | $4.258 | $3.948 | $3.583 | $3.727 |
| Arizona | $3.968 | $3.393 | $3.134 | $3.366 |
| Alaska | $3.950 | $3.643 | $3.450 | $3.408 |
| Pennsylvania | $3.644 | $3.207 | $3.128 | $3.259 |
| Florida | $3.630 | $3.068 | $2.905 | $3.072 |
| Michigan | $3.607 | $3.128 | $2.917 | $3.031 |
California is getting hit the hardest, with the state’s average price for regular gas climbing to $5.29 a gallon, up sharply from $4.67 just a week ago. It’s already the highest in the country and creeping closer to the state’s record $6.44 average set in June 2022.
“Average gas prices in California have stayed below $5 for nearly two years — until now,” California governor Gavin Newsom’s office wrote in a recent post on X. “This is because of Trump’s war with Iran.”
The runner-up is Washington, where drivers are now paying about $4.69 a gallon, a jump from $4.06 a month ago that keeps the state among the most expensive places in the country to fill up.
Elsewhere in the West, prices are climbing quickly as well. Nevada has surged to $4.30 from $3.56 a month ago, while Arizona has jumped to $3.97 from $3.13, two of the steepest monthly increases on the list.
“Yesterday I paid $4.15 in surprise,” wrote one user from Arizona on Reddit. “4 days ago it was $3.84. … Fun stuff.”
Where Are Gas Prices Rising the Least?
| State | Price as of 3/10/26 | Week Ago Avg. | Month Ago Avg. | Year Ago Avg. |
| Kansas | $2.962 | $2.698 | $2.479 | $2.806 |
| Oklahoma | $3.012 | $2.624 | $2.340 | $2.736 |
| Missouri | $3.025 | $2.793 | $2.507 | $2.827 |
| Mississippi | $3.046 | $2.644 | $2.473 | $2.627 |
| Arkansas | $3.052 | $2.702 | $2.458 | $2.752 |
| North Dakota | $3.083 | $2.747 | $2.556 | $3.017 |
| South Dakota | $3.097 | $2.862 | $2.620 | $2.978 |
| Louisiana | $3.111 | $2.717 | $2.504 | $2.699 |
| Alabama | $3.126 | $2.771 | $2.567 | $2.720 |
| Tennessee | $3.137 | $2.721 | $2.544 | $2.687 |
| Nebraska | $3.148 | $2.877 | $2.604 | $2.980 |
On the other side of the spectrum, some states are seeing much smaller increases at the pump. Much of the Midwest and parts of the South remain among the cheapest places to buy gas, with Kansas currently having the lowest average on this list at about $2.96 a gallon.
Nearby states like Oklahoma and Missouri aren’t far behind, with prices still hovering just above the $3 mark even as they slowly inch upward.
Will Prices Continue Rising?
Most likely. Expectations for oil prices over the next year have climbed to about 4.5 percent, nearly double the 2.3 percent forecast in January, reflecting growing concerns about energy markets and global instability.
What are you seeing at the pump in your state? Let us know in the comments.
