(NEXSTAR) – Despite uncertainty about the future of prices at the pump, data shows roughly half of states have seen gas, diesel, or both improve since last week.
Fuel prices have largely been on the rise since early March, when the conflict in Iran began. While it’s not uncommon for prices to rise as summer approaches, they’ve climbed faster than usual over the last six weeks. It’s led some states to pause or consider pausing gas taxes to offer some relief.
Several more states, however, have seen gas and diesel prices ease over the last seven days.
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The national average for a gallon of regular gas is $4.118, AAA reports, down about three cents from last week. The average cost for a gallon of diesel is $5.65, up about three cents.
Statewide averages have dropped much more in some parts of the country.
Gas prices drop in 28 states
A review of AAA data shows average gas prices have declined in 28 states since last Tuesday.
The statewide average is down just over 14 cents in Indiana, where the governor last week suspended the gas tax for 30 days.
Indiana is one of five states that have seen the average cost for regular gas drop below $4 a gallon, joining Virginia, Michigan, New Mexico, and Rhode Island. Oregon and Nevada have seen their statewide averages drop below $5.
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The price dips are potentially the least noticeable in Alabama and New Hampshire, where the statewide averages have dipped by less than 1 cent, week over week.
The interactive map below shows how gas prices have changed in each state over the last seven days.
The five states that have seen prices rise the most over the same time period are Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Colorado, and Kansas. AAA shows the average price per gallon in each state is up at least 10 cents.
Hawaii, meanwhile, set a new record price for regular unleaded gas at $5.65.
Diesel prices ease in two dozen states
A week after reaching record high prices in six states, diesel prices have come down in 12 as of Tuesday. That includes California and Nevada, which saw prices spike a week ago.
Florida has seen diesel prices fall the most, with Tuesday’s statewide average of $5.651 coming in about 15 cents below the $5.802 price recorded last week.
In five states, prices have fallen by less than 1 cent: Idaho, Alabama, Tennessee, New Mexico, and West Virginia.
The interactive map below shows how diesel prices have changed since this time last week.
Like gasoline prices, five states have seen diesel prices jump at least 10 cents: Illinois, Oklahoma, North Dakota, Alaska, and Kentucky.
It’s not clear how long prices could continue to fall.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Monday said that, depending on “how the conflict goes,” prices could peak in the coming weeks. President Trump over the weekend said prices could decline, or remain “the same, or maybe a little bit higher, but it should be around the same” ahead of the midterm elections.
