Skip to content
NOWCAST WLKY News at Noon
Watch on Demand
Advertisement

US gas, energy spending jumps $81.3B as Iran war pushes prices to 4-year high

US gas, energy spending jumps $81.3B as Iran war pushes prices to 4-year high
JOINING US LIVE NOW FROM MANCHESTER. MIKE. STEVE. GOOD EVENING. DRIVERS ARE DEFINITELY FEELING THE PAIN AT THE PUMP HERE IN THE STATE. WE’VE SEEN THE PRICES INCREASE OVER THE LAST WEEK. THE GAS STATION WE’RE AT HERE IN MANCHESTER IT INCREASED $0.11. JUST WHILE WE’RE SITTING HERE OVER THE LAST TWO HOURS. FOR BUSINESSES THAT RELY ON THE ROAD, EVERY DOLLAR AT THE PUMP MATTERS. THEY’RE EXPENSIVE, WHICH IS VERY HARD. YOU KNOW, I THINK WE HAVE TO ACCRUE THAT INTO OUR COSTS FOR OUR CLIENTS. NOW THAT RUN MOVES OWNER CROYDON JAMES SAYS PEAK MOVING SEASON IS JUST GETTING UNDERWAY. BUT HIGHER GAS PRICES COULD SLOW BUSINESS AS CUSTOMERS LOOK TO CUT COSTS THEY CAN’T AFFORD TO MOVE OR GET AROUND AS MUCH BECAUSE THINGS ARE EXPENSIVE, WHICH MAKES IT HARDER FOR ME AS I RELOCATE CUSTOMERS. RIGHT NOW, GAS PRICES IN NEW HAMPSHIRE ARE HOVERING AROUND $4 A GALLON. IT’S A BATTLE EVERY DAY, EVERY DAY. I’M A FARMER. IT’S TRACTORS AND TRUCKS AND EVERYTHING. EXPERTS SAY WHAT’S HAPPENING OVERSEAS IS A BIG REASON WHY, EVEN THOUGH THE U.S. PRODUCES ITS OWN OIL, LOCAL DRIVERS STILL FEEL THE IMPACT. YOU’RE SAFE. YOU’RE SAFE FROM SUPPLY DISRUPTION, BUT YOU’RE NOT SAFE FROM THE PRICE CHANGE. ADDING TO THE UNCERTAINTY, THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES SAYS IT PLANS TO LEAVE OPEC, ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL OIL GROUPS. FORMER OPEC CHIEF ECONOMIST DOCTOR MASOUD SAMIMI SAYS ANY IMPACT ON PRICES LIKELY WON’T HAPPEN RIGHT AWAY, SO THEY WILL HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF INCREASING THEIR THEIR SUPPLY AND BRINGING PRICES DOWN. BUT THAT WOULD BE IN THE MEDIUM TERM. SO WE’RE ABOUT A MONTH OUT FROM MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, AND THAT’S EXPECTED TO DRIVE UP PRICES EVEN
WLKY logo
Updated: 1:50 PM EDT Apr 30, 2026
Editorial Standards
Advertisement
US gas, energy spending jumps $81.3B as Iran war pushes prices to 4-year high
WLKY logo
Updated: 1:50 PM EDT Apr 30, 2026
Editorial Standards
As the war in Iran stretches on, American pocketbooks are continuing to strain under elevated gas and energy prices. On Thursday, the national average price of regular gas hit $4.30 per gallon — the highest it's been in about four years.A new report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that American consumers spent about $81.3 billion more on gas and other energy goods in March compared to the month prior, about a 20% increase. The last time gas prices were similarly high was in 2022, when Russia first invaded Ukraine. Gas prices are spiking faster this time around — rising 44% since the initial U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28. Over the same time period in 2022, at the beginning of the war, gas prices were up only about 16% in the U.S.Still, the country has yet to reach the record-high $5 per gallon national average that was set in June 2022.Less than 50 counties across the country still have gas prices that remain under $3 per gallon. Conversely, about half of the country is facing prices at the pump that top $4 per gallon for regular gas. Coastal states were the first to feel the Iran War's impacts on fuel costs. It took longer for the price hikes to reach the middle of the country, but they're elevated now.Diesel prices have also been impacted. As of Thursday, the average cost for diesel fuel was $5.50 per gallon, according to data from AAA. The Get the Facts Data Team is tracking daily national average gas prices and U.S. crude oil prices. To see the current average gas price in your county or equivalent, search the map below.PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiPiFmdW5jdGlvbigpeyJ1c2Ugc3RyaWN0Ijt3aW5kb3cuYWRkRXZlbnRMaXN0ZW5lcigibWVzc2FnZSIsKGZ1bmN0aW9uKGUpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWUuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciB0PWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgYSBpbiBlLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcj0wO3I8dC5sZW5ndGg7cisrKXtpZih0W3JdLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1lLnNvdXJjZSl0W3JdLnN0eWxlLmhlaWdodD1lLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdW2FdKyJweCJ9fX0pKX0oKTs8L3NjcmlwdD4=

As the war in Iran stretches on, American pocketbooks are continuing to strain under elevated gas and energy prices.

On Thursday, the national average price of regular gas hit $4.30 per gallon — the highest it's been in about four years.

Advertisement

A new report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis estimates that American consumers spent about $81.3 billion more on gas and other energy goods in March compared to the month prior, about a 20% increase.

The last time gas prices were similarly high was in 2022, when Russia first invaded Ukraine.

Gas prices are spiking faster this time around — rising 44% since the initial U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28. Over the same time period in 2022, at the beginning of the war, gas prices were up only about 16% in the U.S.

Still, the country has yet to reach the record-high $5 per gallon national average that was set in June 2022.

Less than 50 counties across the country still have gas prices that remain under $3 per gallon. Conversely, about half of the country is facing prices at the pump that top $4 per gallon for regular gas.

Coastal states were the first to feel the Iran War's impacts on fuel costs. It took longer for the price hikes to reach the middle of the country, but they're elevated now.

Diesel prices have also been impacted. As of Thursday, the average cost for diesel fuel was $5.50 per gallon, according to data from AAA.

The Get the Facts Data Team is tracking daily national average gas prices and U.S. crude oil prices. To see the current average gas price in your county or equivalent, search the map below.



Weather Information

FEELS LIKE
RADAR TRAFFIC
Sponsored by
X
Make WLKY a preferred source on Google