The Numbers, Straight Up

As of May 11, 2026, the national average for regular gasoline is $4.50 per gallon, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That's up $0.048 from the week prior and $1.38 higher than this same week last year — a 44% increase year-over-year.

Oregon hit $5.32 a gallon, per KTVZ reporting. California is at $5.97 statewide — and San Francisco specifically crossed $6.13, according to EIA data. Washington state sits at $5.60. Alaska, Hawaii, Illinois, and Nevada have all cleared $5, according to NBC News tracking.

The cheapest gas in America right now? Texas at $3.94 and the Gulf Coast region at $3.95. Still up significantly compared to a year ago — Texas is up $1.24 per gallon year-over-year.

The Iran Connection

NBC News reported that gas prices are up 50% since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes against Iran. The timing is clear: on February 28, 2026 — the day those airstrikes began — the national average was $2.98 per gallon, according to KTVZ. Today it's $4.50. That's a $1.52 increase in roughly 10 weeks.

The causation is straightforward. The U.S. and Israel attacked a major oil-producing region, global oil supply tightened, and prices spiked. Most mainstream outlets have noted the Iran connection but embedded it in broader "global volatility" language. The supply constriction is the direct result of the military strikes.

The Ceasefire That Didn't Hold

According to NBC News, oil prices briefly dipped when a ceasefire was announced and extended — giving consumers hope of relief. Experts said prices could start declining in April. They did — for a few weeks. Then they shot back up to new highs. The market shows little confidence the ceasefire will endure.

Memorial Day Is About to Squeeze This Harder

AAA projects 45 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more this Memorial Day weekend — a new record. 39.1 million will drive. That's 87% of all Memorial Day travelers hitting roads at exactly the moment gas prices are at their highest point since 2022.

In Oregon alone, AAA projects 505,000 residents will road trip. Nationally, that demand surge won't push prices down.

This is the highest gas prices have been at Memorial Day since 2022, when Russia's invasion of Ukraine sent crude above $100 per barrel, per KTVZ. The current situation mirrors that crisis — different conflict, same economic pressure.

What the EIA Data Actually Shows

The EIA's May 12 release breaks down the regional picture:

• West Coast (minus California): $5.19/gallon
• Midwest: $4.41/gallon — up nearly $1.43 year-over-year
• East Coast: $4.34/gallon
• Gulf Coast: $3.95/gallon — cheapest region in the country

Diesel prices are worse. The national on-highway diesel average is $5.64 per gallon, up $2.16 from a year ago. That hits trucking, shipping, agriculture, and every product those industries move. Diesel prices ripple through supply chains, raising costs on nearly everything consumers buy.

The Geopolitical Reality

The Trump administration made a military decision to strike Iran. That decision had a direct energy cost. The administration may have had strategic reasons for those strikes — that's a separate debate. But the price spike is the direct outcome of that action.

Consumers are paying a measurable war premium at every fill-up.

What This Means for Regular People

If you drive 15,000 miles a year at 25 mpg, you buy 600 gallons of gas annually. At last year's prices you paid roughly $1,872. At today's national average, you're paying $2,700. That's an extra $828 per year — from a conflict that began ten weeks ago.

For truckers, farmers, and small businesses running fleets, the impact multiplies quickly.

Spirit Airlines had already shuttered prior to the Iran strikes, according to NBC News, with surging jet fuel costs among the pressures on the airline industry. Airfares are climbing. The Iran war's energy impact is spreading further through the entire economy.

With gas prices at these levels going into a record Memorial Day travel weekend, and diesel already pricing in supply-chain strain, this represents a sustained cost burden. Until the Middle East situation stabilizes, relief at the pump appears unlikely.