FILE-A gas station attendant pumps gas for a customer at the Empire Gas Station in East Hampton , New York, on April 27, 2026. (Photo by James Carbone/Newsday RM via Getty Images)
As gas prices continue to skyrocket across the country, consumers are paying considerably more at the pump, putting a strain on their finances.
The national average for gas rose to $4.52 per gallon on Friday, which jumped over 40% from $3.19 in 2025.
But a new Lending Tree report showed that gas prices spiked noticeably in April, with the average monthly price per gallon rising to $4.10 in April 2026, which became the sixth-highest month for gas prices on record.
RELATED: Here's where gas prices are highest and lowest in the US
Compared to April, gas prices were lower in March ($3.64) and February ($2.91), with Lending Tree noting that the last time monthly gas prices were higher was in July 2022, when the average gallon of gas was $4.56.
Where are gas prices the highest and lowest in the US?
By the numbers:
To gather data for their report, LendingTree examined AAA data on average regular gas prices in states and cities. Prices are as of May 12, 2026, and are compared to those on May 12, 2025. Lending Tree also used U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data to calculate average historical prices of regular gas per gallon.
States with the highest gas prices
- California—$6.14 per gallon
- Washington—$5.77 per gallon
- Hawaii—$5.64 per gallon
- Oregon—$5.34 per gallon
- Alaska—$5.26 per gallon
States with the lowest gas prices
- Texas—$3.99 per gallon
- Mississippi—$4 per gallon
- Louisiana—$4 per gallon
- Georgia—$4.01 per gallon
- Oklahoma—$4.02 per gallon
The Source: Information for this story was provided by a Lending Tree report, which analyzed AAA data on average regular gas prices in states and cities, and used U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data to calculate average historical prices of regular gas per gallon. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.