US Gas Prices Hit $4.23 Average: Map Shows Prices Per State

The U.S. nationwide average gas price has climbed to $4.23 per gallon as of Wednesday, according to data from the American Automobile Association (AAA), up from $2.98 before the start of the war in Iran. It is a new, grim record that will be felt by American drivers nationwide.

In California, where drivers are paying the highest prices in the nation, a gallon of gas is going for a statewide average just shy of $6, at $5.983, and four more states-including Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington-had statewide average prices above $5.

There was no state where the average price was under $3.658, which is above the nationwide average recorded in the country before the start of the conflict in the Middle East, and above the average for this time of year in 2025, which was $3.161.

Inflation Fallout Drives Trump's Approval Rating to a New Low

For Americans looking carefully at what the consequences of the war would be on the nation's economy, the apparently unstoppable climb in gas prices is further bad news, after the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data showed that inflation jumped to its highest level in two years in March, driven by coffee, fuel, and housing price hikes.

In March, food prices were 2.9 percent higher than a year earlier, according to the agency, while the total energy index was up 12.5 percent, with gasoline prices alone jumping by 18.9 percent and electricity by 4.6 percent. Within the same 12 months, housing costs-which have become unaffordable to many Americans in recent years-rose by 3 percent.

This rise in inflation, turbocharged by skyrocketing energy prices stemming from ongoing disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, is reflected in President Donald Trump's plummeting approval rating.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday found that Trump's approval rating has dropped to its lowest level since he returned to the White House last year, and that only 22 percent of respondents approve of the president's performance on the cost of living.

The poll was conducted between April 24 and April 27 among 1,014 US adults.

Despite Rising Prices, Consumer Confidence Improves

Unexpectedly, the recent rise in inflation and the pain felt by U.S. drivers at pumps across the country are not making Americans more pessimistic about their financial situation. Quite the contrary.

U.S. consumer confidence experienced a modest boost in April to the highest level this year, even as the latest CPI brought them bad news.

The nonprofit think tank, the Conference Board,found that consumer confidence in the nation edged up by 0.6 points to 92.8 this month, from 92.2 in March. A small increase, but an increase nonetheless.

"Consumer confidence edged up in April but was overall little changed, despite material concern about rising gasoline prices as the war in the Middle East prompted a surge in Brent crude oil prices," said Dana M Peterson, chief economist at the Conference Board, in a statement.

"Consumer appraisals of current and expected business conditions declined moderately compared to last month," she said. "This was offset by modest improvements in consumers' perceptions of the labor market, both current and expected, as well as income expectations, which were slightly more optimistic in April."

The Conference Board's data was based on a survey run between April 1 and April 22.

Jobs Growth Rebounds, but Economists Warn Against Optimism

Hiring in the U.S. rebounded in March, with employers adding 178,000 nonfarm payroll jobs, far exceeding expectations of roughly 60,000–70,000, according to the latest job report. In the same month, the unemployment rate remained mostly unchanged at 4.3 percent.

But experts are wary of being too enthusiastic about the data.

Gina Bolvin, President of Bolvin Wealth Management Group, told Newsweek in a statement via email on April 3 that the "March's jobs report shows the economy still has a pulse-but it's not racing. With 178,000 jobs added and unemployment at 4.3 percent, the labor market is stabilizing after recent softness, not reaccelerating."

Bill Adams, chief U.S. economist at Fifth Third Commercial Bank, told Newsweek in a statement via email on April 3 that the March jobs report told us "next to nothing about the Iran War's impact on the job market."

The University of Michigan, which last month said its Consumer Sentiment Index had dropped to its lowest reading since December, 53.3, has yet to release its April data.

What Higher Gas Prices Could Mean for Summer Travel-and November's Election

When it comes to gas prices, American drivers are unlikely to see relief as long as the Strait of Hormuz, where a fifth of the world's oil transited before the war in Iran, continues to be the subject of a double blockade by Washington and Tehran.

The price of Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil, currently stands at $114.60, just a few dollars shy of its high of $118 reached after the start of the conflict in the Middle East.

Iran has recently said it would reopen the strait if the U.S. lifts its blockade. According to reports, Trump is unlikely to cave in to the proposal.

Experts warn that without promptly reaching a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, American drivers will continue to face gas price hikes.

"Let me be clear: the clock is ticking. Lawmakers have a narrow window to reverse course and fully restore the Strait," Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, wrote on X this week.

"If that doesn't happen soon, Americans will start changing their summer travel plans-and they will NOT forget why when they head to the polls in November."

GasBuddy expects the nationwide average gas price to rise to $4.30 a gallon again, matching the early May price.

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This story was originally published April 29, 2026 at 11:43 AM.