Arkansas Gas Prices Climb Toward $3 as Iran Tensions, Summer Blend Fuel Hit Pumps

By Arkansas Black Vitality Staff

Feb. 4, 2026 – Fuel prices in Arkansas and across the U.S. are expected to rise above $3 per gallon in the coming weeks as international oil markets react to President Trump’s launch of Operation Epic Fury in Iran over the weekend, experts predict.

As of today, the average price for a gallon of gasoline in Arkansas sits at $2.83, up 13 cents from a week ago and 39 cents from a month ago, according to AAA’s weekly gas gauge report.

The nation’s average price of gasoline has risen 5.6 cents over the last week and stands at $2.94 per gallon, according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 12 million individual price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country. The national average is up 7.8 cents from a month ago and is 10.1 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel rose 5.4 cents in the last week to $3.74 per gallon.

Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said the national average price of gasoline has climbed for a fourth straight week, “driven primarily by seasonal tightening and broader market dynamics.”

Looking ahead, De Haan said markets will now begin reacting to this weekend’s U.S.–Iran attacks, which have elevated geopolitical risk premiums even in the absence of immediate supply disruption.

“Oil prices have firmed as traders assess the potential for further escalation, and while fundamentals such as inventories and refinery activity remain important anchors, the risk of broader instability— particularly involving key transit routes— has injected fresh uncertainty into energy markets,” said De Haan in his weekly fuel price update.

Generally speaking, refineries across the U.S. are beginning to produce summer-blend gasoline, which contains more costly additives to help reduce evaporation during warmer months. Gas demand is also expected to increase next month as the spring break season starts and more drivers take early vacations. 

“In the week ahead, gasoline prices are likely to face heightened upward pressure as seasonal trends continue and markets navigate this evolving geopolitical landscape, with the national average poised to reach the $3-per-gallon mark for the first time this year,” said De Haan.

According to new data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand decreased last week from 8.74 million barrels per day (b/d) to 8.73 million. Total domestic gasoline supply decreased from 255.8 million barrels to 254.8 million. Gasoline production decreased last week, averaging 9.2 million b/d. 

At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, WTI fell 21 cents to settle at $65.42 a barrel. The EIA reports crude oil inventories increased by 16 million barrels from the previous week. At 435.8 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 3% below the five-year average for this time of year. 

According to AAA, Arkansas remains among the 10 least expensive gasoline markets, ranking 6th behind Oklahoma ($2.43), Mississippi ($2.52), Kansas ($2.54), Louisiana ($2.55), and Tennessee ($2.56). Wisconsin ($2.59), Texas ($2.60), North Dakota ($2.61), and Iowa ($2.63) round out the top ten.

The nation’s top 10 most expensive gasoline markets are California ($4.63), Hawaii ($4.40), Washington ($4.35), Oregon ($3.92), Nevada ($3.71), Alaska ($3.59), Arizona ($3.26), Pennsylvania ($3.12), Washington, DC ($3.09), and Illinois ($3.03).

For electric car drivers, the national average cost of electricity at a public EV charging station remained at 39 cents per kilowatt-hour. The top 10 most expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour are West Virginia (52 cents), Hawaii (50 cents), Alaska (48 cents), Louisiana (47 cents), South Carolina (44 cents), New Hampshire (44 cents), New Jersey (43 cents), California (42 cents), Idaho (42 cents), and Tennessee (41 cents). 

The nation’s top 10 least expensive states for public charging per kilowatt hour are Kansas (25 cents), Wyoming (27 cents), Missouri (28 cents), Nebraska (30 cents), Utah (31 cents), Iowa (32 cents), Vermont (32 cents), Maryland (33 cents), New Mexico (33 cents), and Delaware (33 cents). 

ARKANSAS MARKET
Despite rising gasoline prices across the state and the nation, Arkansas drivers are seeing a wide variety of pump prices in key markets, AAA data shows. For example, drivers willing to search for the lowest fuel prices can find some stations across the state more than 40 cents below the state average.

However, motorists in Texarkana are paying the highest average fuel cost at $2.91 to fill up their tanks. That price is eight cents above the state average and 19 cents higher than a week ago. The Jonesboro and West Memphis markets in northeast Arkansas are seeing the next highest prices at $2.89 and $2.87 per gallon, nearly 30 cents more than last week.

In Central Arkansas, motorists living or driving through Hot Springs or Little Rock-North Little Rock will see gasoline signs posted at $2.80 and $2.83 per gallon, respectively. In Pine Bluff, motorists are seeing the lowest average price among the state’s metro areas at $27.3 per gallon, up 26 cents from a week and a month ago.

In Northwest Arkansas, motorists in the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers are seeing pump prices at $2.86 per gallon, up 20 cents from a week ago. Fort Smith drivers are paying about $2.76 per gallon to fill up their tank, up 29 cents from a week ago and 41 cents higher than a month ago.

Motorists seeking premium-grade gasoline are paying 80 cents more than the state average, at $3.64 per gallon, which is 25 cents higher than last week. Truck drivers and other diesel vehicle operators are also paying more, at $3.72 per gallon, 22 cents above last week’s pump price.

Despite average prices in key markets, drivers eager to travel can find gasoline below $ 20 per gallon. According to GasBuddy’s fuel finder, motorists filling up at the Harps grocery store in Conway can get regular unleaded for $2.25 per gallon. Convenience and grocery store locations in Sherwood, Crossett, Gurdon, Searcy, Little Rock, Fort Smith, and Greenbrier also sell gasoline for less than $2.40 per gallon.

Meanwhile, De Haan said, despite rising global oil prices following the Iran attacks,  international markets are not seeing the huge spike that occurred after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. At the start of that conflict, crude oil prices spiked to well above $100 per barrel and peaked at over $140 per barrel in March 2022.   

Although Iran is a major oil producer, traffic continues to flow through the Strait of Hormuz, an essential shipping and transportation route for OPEC’s leading member, Saudi Arabia, and other Middle Eastern oil-producing nations. 

“Oil prices are seeing mostly a measured response to the (Iran) situation,” said De Haan, noting that WTI oil prices rose to $80 per barrel today, but have since cooled off and briefly dipped below $70.”

“While this is an important situation to keep our eye on, it is not necessarily alarming. There is not going to be a price spike when it comes to gasoline, diesel and jet fuel,” he concluded.

(Arkansas Black Vitality is a sister publication of Arkansas Delta Informer)