If you have tried to fill a tank in 2026 without wincing, congratulations: you are stronger than the rest of us. The numbers below are not here to soothe you. They are here because regular unleaded went on a spring hike that feels less like economics and more like a practical joke played at 11 p.m. at a highway exit.
We are comparing our January 2026 state snapshots to April 11, 2026 — the same series we plot on the gas prices by state page. Percent change is simple Year-1 style math: (April minus January) divided by January, times 100. No tricks — which is why some of the percentages look like they belong on a meme account instead of a spreadsheet.
The headline in one breath
Kentucky leads the pain parade at roughly +45% from January to April 11. Idaho and Arizona are right behind, both above +43%. At the other end, even Hawaii — the smallest percentage move in this table — is still up about +26% versus January. In 2026, "least awful" still means "awful."
The reported U.S. national average in our dataset sits at $4.14/gallon on April 11 versus about $3.06 if you average the same states' January figures — call it a third more expensive at the pump nationally, before you get cute with rounding.
Every state: price and percent increase (sorted wildest first)
Table sorted by percent increase, high to low. If your state is near the top, you have permission to complain loudly at dinner.
| State | Jan 2026 | Apr 11, 2026 | $ change | % increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kentucky | $2.79 | $4.042 | +$1.252 | +44.9% |
| Idaho | $3.01 | $4.315 | +$1.305 | +43.4% |
| Arizona | $3.29 | $4.708 | +$1.418 | +43.1% |
| Tennessee | $2.74 | $3.909 | +$1.169 | +42.7% |
| Alabama | $2.72 | $3.868 | +$1.148 | +42.2% |
| Illinois | $3.11 | $4.398 | +$1.288 | +41.4% |
| Texas | $2.72 | $3.828 | +$1.108 | +40.7% |
| Mississippi | $2.69 | $3.765 | +$1.075 | +40.0% |
| Virginia | $2.89 | $4.025 | +$1.135 | +39.3% |
| South Carolina | $2.77 | $3.850 | +$1.080 | +39.0% |
| Louisiana | $2.73 | $3.779 | +$1.049 | +38.4% |
| District of Columbia | $3.10 | $4.281 | +$1.181 | +38.1% |
| Maryland | $3.00 | $4.141 | +$1.141 | +38.0% |
| Utah | $3.08 | $4.223 | +$1.143 | +37.1% |
| Delaware | $2.95 | $4.020 | +$1.070 | +36.3% |
| Arkansas | $2.68 | $3.648 | +$0.968 | +36.1% |
| North Carolina | $2.88 | $3.917 | +$1.037 | +36.0% |
| New Mexico | $2.96 | $4.014 | +$1.054 | +35.6% |
| Indiana | $2.94 | $3.985 | +$1.045 | +35.5% |
| Oregon | $3.69 | $4.991 | +$1.301 | +35.3% |
| West Virginia | $2.93 | $3.963 | +$1.033 | +35.3% |
| Wyoming | $2.85 | $3.852 | +$1.002 | +35.2% |
| New Jersey | $3.01 | $4.050 | +$1.040 | +34.6% |
| Washington | $4.02 | $5.391 | +$1.371 | +34.1% |
| Montana | $2.91 | $3.902 | +$0.992 | +34.1% |
| Florida | $3.03 | $4.057 | +$1.027 | +33.9% |
| Ohio | $2.91 | $3.886 | +$0.976 | +33.5% |
| Maine | $3.04 | $4.053 | +$1.013 | +33.3% |
| Vermont | $3.09 | $4.118 | +$1.028 | +33.3% |
| Missouri | $2.76 | $3.671 | +$0.911 | +33.0% |
| Wisconsin | $2.88 | $3.808 | +$0.928 | +32.2% |
| Connecticut | $3.10 | $4.096 | +$0.996 | +32.1% |
| New Hampshire | $3.02 | $3.979 | +$0.959 | +31.8% |
| New York | $3.14 | $4.136 | +$0.996 | +31.7% |
| Alaska | $3.53 | $4.649 | +$1.119 | +31.7% |
| Michigan | $3.05 | $3.998 | +$0.948 | +31.1% |
| Pennsylvania | $3.18 | $4.166 | +$0.986 | +31.0% |
| Rhode Island | $3.06 | $3.998 | +$0.938 | +30.7% |
| Georgia | $2.86 | $3.720 | +$0.860 | +30.1% |
| Massachusetts | $3.07 | $3.971 | +$0.901 | +29.3% |
| Kansas | $2.70 | $3.491 | +$0.791 | +29.3% |
| South Dakota | $2.86 | $3.688 | +$0.828 | +29.0% |
| North Dakota | $2.80 | $3.610 | +$0.810 | +28.9% |
| Nevada | $3.88 | $4.981 | +$1.101 | +28.4% |
| Iowa | $2.88 | $3.695 | +$0.815 | +28.3% |
| Nebraska | $2.83 | $3.626 | +$0.796 | +28.1% |
| Colorado | $2.95 | $3.776 | +$0.826 | +28.0% |
| Oklahoma | $2.72 | $3.474 | +$0.754 | +27.7% |
| California | $4.63 | $5.900 | +$1.270 | +27.4% |
| Minnesota | $2.95 | $3.743 | +$0.793 | +26.9% |
| Hawaii | $4.49 | $5.649 | +$1.159 | +25.8% |
| U.S. (reported national avg.) | $3.06 | $4.135 | +$1.079 | +35.3% |
Note: State rows use our internal January and April 11 snapshots. The national footnote uses the reported national average ($4.135) paired with the simple mean of those state January prices (~$3.06) so the "% increase" line matches how we label the row on the statistics page. Your local station may differ; regional blends, taxes, and timing all move the needle.
For the interactive map and the full January / March / April trail, head to Gas Prices by State. For how we got here geopolitically, our earlier Iran escalation and pump prices piece still frames a lot of the story — then add refinery maintenance, summer blend season breathing down our necks, and plain old volatility.
Bottom line: Whether you call it a squeeze, a spike, or a full-on sticker-shock episode, the first third of 2026 has not been kind to anyone who drives. Carpool, combine errands, or stare at an EV lease calculator — but do not pretend the pump price is "about the same as last month." The table says otherwise.