Trump’s $2 gas promise is gone, Massachusetts enjoys the lowest price

US consumers are already feeling pain at the pump as the United States and Israel continue their “Strategic Military Operation” against Iran, causing the average price for a gallon of gasoline to jump 34 cents in a week.

According to AAA, the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline is $3.32, 34 cents higher than a week ago and 21 cents higher than a year ago.

In 2024, President Donald Trump campaigned on bringing the price of gasoline down to $2 a gallon. As recently as January, Trump claimed he witnessed gasoline prices as low as $1.85 a gallon in Iowa. An investigation by the Des Moines Register concluded that gas was under $2 a gallon in Des Moines, but Trump was quoting the regional price for E85, a fuel containing 85% ethanol.

Oil prices exploded on Friday after Trump posted on his personal social media site, Truth Social, that he would only accept “unconditional surrender” from Iran. April contract WTI Crude was up 12.41 percent to $91.06 a barrel, and Brent jumped 8.68 percent to $92.82 a barrel. At one point during trading, WTI reached $92.60 a barrel.

Yesterday, Qatari Energy Minister Saad al-Kaabi warned that oil could reach $150 a barrel if the “Strategic Military Operation” against Iran continues, dragging down the global economy.

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State gasoline prices only tell half the story

The price and grade of gasoline vary widely across the United States due to regional climate differences, elevation, state regulations, and taxes. On Friday, the gap between the lowest and highest state average was $2.04 a gallon! These differences have been used as a political baseball bat for years, with red states typically having cheaper gasoline than blue states. That only tells half the story.

Your household income is also affected by the state you live in. The lowest median income is $55,980 in Mississippi, compared to the highest at $113,900 in Massachusetts.

When comparing the real cost at the pump, the better question is how much household income is spent on gasoline annually in each state? The more income a family has to spend at the pump, the less money they have for other expenses and luxuries.

What data did we use

We determined the average fuel economy of registered light vehicles in the United States using 2024 data from the Department of Energy, the most recent year available. Factoring in the percentage of cars versus SUVs and trucks, the average fuel economy is 20.31 miles per gallon. Only 1.4% of all registered vehicles are electric, according to Experian, and 3.1% require diesel.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, the average American drives 13,662 miles per year, using data through October 2025. About eight percent of households don’t own a car, 55% own one, and 37% own two or more. For our model, the average household drives 17,624 miles per year, accounting for differences between single- and multicar households. Take 17,624 miles, divide it by 20.31 miles per gallon, and the average US household buys 867.75 gallons of gasoline a year, roughly 16.7 gallons per week. Your mileage may vary.

The median household income data came from the US Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) database, using information from 2024, the most recent year available.

Surprise! Massachusetts has the cheapest gas

When just the price at the pump is considered, on Friday, Kansas has the cheapest gasoline in the US at $2.869 per gallon, followed by Oklahoma, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arkansas. California has the most expensive gasoline at $4.905 per gallon, followed by Washington, Hawaii, Oregon, and Nevada.

What happens when you consider how much annual income a household must spend on gasoline? Residents of Massachusetts enjoy the cheapest gasoline in the US, where the median household only spends 2.40 percent of its income at the pump, followed by New Hampshire, Utah, Colorado, and Maryland. West Virginians are paying the most, with the average household putting 4.48 percent of their income into a gas tank, followed by Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, and California.

Below is a table showing the cost of regular gasoline and the percentage of household income spent at the pump annually. How does your state rank?

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