U.S. Gas Prices Today
Daily gas prices for all 50 states plus D.C., sourced from AAA. National averages for regular, mid-grade, premium, and diesel. Understand why prices move — crude oil, refining costs, taxes, seasonal blends, geopolitics, and regional market dynamics.
The AAA national average for regular gasoline is $4.161, down nearly 20 cents in one week per AAA’s own headline — the fastest pump relief since the war began, now a third straight week of declines. May’s crude slide is still working through the typical one-to-two-week wholesale-to-retail lag, and the weekend’s brief spike to $95 WTI never reached drivers: Iran and Israel agreed Tuesday to halt attacks, sending crude back below $90 and pointing the pump trajectory lower still. The EIA’s June outlook, released today, maps this quarter as the fuel-price peak of the conflict, with relief building into 2027 if the diplomatic track holds. Indiana is the cheapest market at $3.41 and California the most expensive at $5.87 — a $2.45 state-to-state spread — with Texas near $3.62. Diesel averages $5.34 nationally per AAA.
Regional pressures remain stark. AAA data shows California, Washington, and Hawaii each above $5.65/gallon; Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas around $4.00. Tennessee, Ohio, Michigan, and New Hampshire have all posted some of the steepest year-over-year increases nationally. State-to-state variation is structural — driven by crude cost, regional refining capacity, and state-specific taxes and fuel specs. The macro pass-through is now visible at the consumer level: U.S. inflation has accelerated as surging energy prices linked to the Middle East crisis hit the consumer index.
The near-term outlook remains bullish. The EIA Weekly Petroleum Status Report (May 13, week ending May 8) showed U.S. gasoline inventories fell 4.1M barrels to 215.7M, with stocks now 5% below the five-year average. Distillate inventories posted their first weekly build since March (+0.19M). Refinery utilization rose to 91.7% as spring maintenance winds down. Summer-grade gasoline requirements are fully phased in. UAE departed OPEC effective May 1 — less spare capacity to respond to future shocks. See also live oil prices · geopolitics.
What you pay at the pump is the wholesale futures price plus taxes, distribution costs, and retailer margin. The spread below shows how many cents per gallon are added to the underlying benchmark before fuel reaches your tank.
Quick Comparisons Daily
| State | Regular | Mid-Grade | Premium | Diesel |
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What Makes Up the Price at the Pump
The average gallon of gasoline is composed of four cost components: crude oil (approximately 55-60% of the price), refining costs and margins (15-20%), federal and state taxes (15-20%), and distribution and marketing (5-10%). When crude oil rises $10/barrel, gas prices typically increase $0.24-0.30/gallon within 1-2 weeks.
Crude oil is the dominant factor because gasoline is a refined petroleum product. Brent and WTI crude benchmarks set the input cost for refineries. Refinery utilization, seasonal maintenance (turnarounds), and unexpected outages affect the supply of finished gasoline. The transition from winter to summer-blend gasoline (required by EPA) typically adds $0.10-0.25/gallon each spring.
Why Gas Prices Vary by State
State gas taxes range from $0.09/gallon (Alaska) to $0.68/gallon (California), creating significant baseline price differences. Beyond taxes, proximity to refineries matters — Gulf Coast states (Texas, Louisiana) benefit from direct access to the nation’s largest refining complex, keeping prices low. West Coast states face higher costs from stricter fuel-blend requirements, limited pipeline access, and geographic isolation from refining centers.
Local market competition, transportation costs, and state-specific regulations also play roles. Hawaii’s extreme prices ($5.65+) reflect the cost of shipping fuel across the Pacific. California’s cap-and-trade program and Low Carbon Fuel Standard add approximately $0.20-0.30/gallon above federal requirements.
Why Diesel Prices Differ from Gasoline
Diesel typically costs more than regular gasoline for three reasons: higher federal tax ($0.244/gal vs. $0.184/gal for gasoline), greater demand from commercial trucking/shipping/agriculture, and competition with heating oil (same distillate product). Diesel prices also respond more sharply to crude oil increases because diesel requires less complex refining, meaning crude costs represent a larger share of the final price.