GasBuddy Declares National Average Per Gallon Is ‘At Its Highest Ever Level’ This Late in the Year

Sarah RumpfAug 12th, 2026, 2:56 pm
 
gas station prices

George Walker IV/AP photo

If the price at the pump seems high, you’re not imagining it. According to GasBuddy’s data, Americans are currently experiencing the “highest ever” national average price per gallon in history this late in the year.

The polling numbers for President Donald Trump and Republicans have been brutal as his second term has progressed, Americans’ views on his handling of the economy — a topic on which he had previously outpolled Democrats — taking a dive.

Trump’s war in Iran has been another issue dragging down his polling, including the impact on gas prices.

GasBuddy head of petroleum research Patrick De Haan shared the latest data GasBuddy data Wednesday, highlighting the record high mark.

“BREAKING: the national average is now at its highest ever level this late in the calendar year, according to GasBuddy data,” he wrote. “Meaning the national average has never been above $4/gal after Aug. 12 in any previous year- ever.”

In response to a question from a follower about how far back the data had been tracked, De Haan said his group’s data went back to 2000, “however gas prices had never reached $2/gal prior to 2000, according to other data sources.”

Looking back the average retail price for gas on GasBuddy’s website, the current average national price of $4.03 per gallon is not the highest ever, because gas prices traditionally spike in summer and drop back down through the fall, but it is the highest this late in the year.

Below are GasBuddy’s charts for the past month, one year, five years, and ten years. The 1-year chart is illustrative of a spike in the gas price following the late February start of the Iran war.

1 month gas price chart gasbuddy

Chart via GasBuddy.com.

1 year gas price chart gasbuddy

Chart via GasBuddy.com.

5 year gas price chart gasbuddy

Chart via GasBuddy.com.

10 year gas price chart gasbuddy

Chart via GasBuddy.com.

De Haan also shared some specific state data, noting that prices had “just jumped” to $4.39 per gallon in Michigan, $4.29 in Ohio, and as high as $4.49 in some parts of North and East Ohio.

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Sarah Rumpf - Contributing Editor

Sarah Rumpf joined Mediaite in 2020 and is a Contributing Editor focusing on politics, law, and the media. A native Floridian, Sarah attended the University of Florida, graduating with a double major in Political Science and German, and earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the UF College of Law. Sarah's writing has been featured at National Review, The Daily Beast, Reason, Law&Crime, Independent Journal Review, Texas Monthly, The Capitolist, Breitbart Texas, Townhall, RedState, The Orlando Sentinel, and the Austin-American Statesman, and her political commentary has led to appearances on television, radio, and podcast programs across the globe. Follow Sarah on Threads, Twitter, and Bluesky.