The national average price of regular gasoline in the United States reached $4.003 per gallon on July 20, 2026, up sharply from $3.14 a year earlier, as renewed hostilities with Iran roiled energy markets.
Oil prices jumped 16% in the past week, with Brent crude rising to $90.95 per barrel on Sunday. The spike ended an eight-week decline in pump prices that followed a surge to roughly $4.57 per gallon after the conflict began on February 28. Diesel climbed above $5 per gallon, reaching $5.11. Prices vary widely by state, from $5.40 in California to $3.80 in Ohio, the lowest in the nation.
The upswing tracks a collapse of diplomacy. A June 18 ceasefire memorandum crumbled when President Donald Trump declared the truce void on July 9, days after the US resumed strikes against Iran. A Gallup poll found two-thirds of Americans reported fuel costs causing household financial hardship.