The national average price for a gallon of regular gas rose on Wednesday to $3.187, according to AAA. 

This was an increase from Tuesday, when it was $3.167 per gallon. It was also an increase from a week ago, when the average price for regular gas was $3.124 per gallon, which was the lowest price since March. Wednesday’s price point for a gallon of regular gas was slightly lower than the national average cost for gas on Memorial Day weekend. Gas prices are also more expensive than the average from a month ago, when it was $3.178, an increase that has affected the nation’s energy sector.

Yet, despite the recent increases, gas prices are still less expensive than a year ago, when the national average cost for regular gas was $3.439 per gallon. Gas prices had been steadily declining in recent weeks. For the first time in a long time, statewide average gas prices in 28 states had fallen below $3 per gallon. Due to recent increases, that total has decreased to 17 states. 

Several factors have contributed to the recent surge in gas prices. First, there is the traditional slight increase during summer months, when Americans travel more frequently, increasing demand for gas. Next, there was the conflict escalation between Iran and Israel, as Israel launched airstrikes on Tehran. Iran has responded with strikes of its own. As the region becomes embroiled in war, gas prices rise. Costs are expected to increase due to the war between the two Middle Eastern countries. 

Additionally, fuel costs have fluctuated since the end of 2024. In December, the national average for a gallon of regular gas fell to $3.01 per gallon. Since then, prices have increased and decreased, from a high of nearly $3.30 per gallon to a low of $3.07. Again, several geopolitical factors have contributed to this, including oil supply and demand, changes in presidential administrations, tariffs, and wars in the Middle East and Ukraine.

However, the primary factor determining how much one spends on gas is the state in which one lives. The highest gas prices in the country are in the states along the Pacific Coast and Hawaii. Conversely, the least expensive gas is found in the Gulf of America region. 

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Mississippi has the least expensive fuel costs in the nation. On Wednesday, the average price for regular gas in Mississippi is $2.685 per gallon. Louisiana has the next lowest average gas price at $2.787. Next is Texas at $2.804, then Alabama at $2.808, and then Tennessee, with a cost of $2.817.

Meanwhile, California has the distinction of having the most expensive average statewide gas prices in the United States. The average cost of regular gas in the Golden State is $4.649 per gallon for residents, which is a sizable decrease compared to recent weeks. Next is Hawaii, with an average statewide cost of $4.461 per gallon. Washington state has the third-highest gas prices in the country, with an average cost of $4.409. Oregon is next with a cost of $4.017 per gallon, followed by Nevada, where a gallon of regular gas costs $3.817.