U.S. Gas Prices Climb 44% Since Iran Conflict Began, With Midwest and Mountain West Hit Hardest

U.S. gas prices have surged 44% above their pre-war baseline, adding roughly $1.25 per gallon, with the steepest percentage hikes—over 60%—concentrated in the Midwest and Mountain West. Notably, states that already had the highest gas prices experienced the smallest relative increases, revealing a regional convergence effect rather than uniform national pain. The core insight is that the Iran conflict’s economic impact is uneven, hitting middle-income, landlocked regions hardest while coastal, high-cost states absorb the shock more easily. For policymakers and consumers, the takeaway is clear: fuel price vulnerability is a geographic and structural issue, not just a national average, demanding targeted relief rather than blanket measures.