Massachusetts drivers are paying more than the national average at the pump during what AAA says is the most expensive August on record for gasoline.
As MassLive reported, regular gas is averaging around $4.12 a gallon statewide, compared with a national average of $4.09.
Here's what to know
AAA data indicate that August 2026 was the first August in which the U.S. average price for regular stayed above $4 a gallon on every day of the month.
In doing so, it topped the previous August record set in 2022 and deepened the strain on already high transportation costs for many households.
Around Massachusetts, prices are not uniform, MassLive noted. Barnstable-Yarmouth leads at $4.18 per gallon, Springfield is lowest at roughly $3.99, and the Boston area is close to the middle at $4.13, according to AAA's state data.
The year-over-year jump is sizable as well. Statewide, regular gas averaged $3.07 in August 2025, so drivers are now spending about a dollar more per gallon than they did then, per the outlet.
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More background
One major reason prices remain elevated is crude, which AAA said has continued to trade in the $80-a-barrel range amid volatility in the Strait of Hormuz during the ongoing U.S.-led war in Iran.
MassLive noted that drivers are also facing tighter fuel conditions at home, as EIA data indicated rising gasoline demand and shrinking domestic gasoline supplies.
Even as refined gasoline stocks declined, U.S. crude inventories ticked up to 428.9 million barrels, roughly 1% above the five-year average.
West Texas Intermediate crude settled at $82.23 a barrel, down 13 cents, but that slight move has offered little noticeable relief for consumers, the outlet said.
What can be done?
For many households, the most immediate step is to reduce how much gasoline they need to buy. Combining errands, keeping tires properly inflated, avoiding aggressive driving, and using transit or carpooling when possible can all cut fuel use without requiring a major lifestyle change.
For people shopping for their next vehicle, these price swings also enhance the appeal of options less exposed to oil market volatility. Hybrids can significantly reduce fuel use, and fully electric vehicles eliminate gas purchases altogether.
While public charging is not free, AAA's latest figure suggests charging costs have been far more stable than pump prices.
Gasoline remains stubbornly expensive, and August 2026 set a record that many families will feel at the pump.
Where can I learn more?
These stories look beyond the price on the pump, but they connect to the same pressures that made August so expensive for drivers. In Massachusetts and across the country, decisions about fossil-fuel infrastructure, pollution, and cleaner energy options shape how vulnerable households are to oil market swings.
• In Massachusetts, utilities poured $100M into gas lines even after 10 communities went fossil-fuel-free.
• Across oil-and-gas regions, premature deaths and asthma continue to mount alongside worsening pollution.
• Nationwide, wind and solar produced more electricity than coal, underscoring alternatives to volatile fossil fuels.
High gas prices don't happen in a vacuum. They're tied to a bigger energy picture, and that's part of why cleaner, more stable alternatives are getting a closer look as fuel costs stay high.
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