(The Center Square) – Unleaded gasoline prices are up only a tick in North Carolina over last week while diesel prices are down 10 cents, according to Monday’s update from AAA.
The diesel price, while getting a measure of good news, remains close to the state record from Sept. 19. From Murphy to Manteo, the average is $4.14 for a gallon of unleaded regular and $6.14 for a gallon of diesel.
Last week, those figures were $4.13 and $6.24, respectively. Just a month ago, they were $3.75 and $5.47, respectively – also considered high given the price at the start of the calendar year. North Carolina’s state records, per AAA, are $6.24 for diesel on Sept. 19 and $4.67 for unleaded regular gas on June 13, 2022.
Nationally, the averages are $4.47 for unleaded regular gasoline and $6.45 for diesel. The national records, as tracked by AAA, are $5.01 for gas on June 14, 2022, and $6.52 for diesel on Tuesday of last week.
Sept. 15 marked the end of the less volatile summer blend fuel being sold, per Per Environmental Protection Agency rules. In general, summer fuel is considered 10 cents to 15 cents higher per gallon.
The Center Square analyzes this market monthly, at a minimum, as part of its mission for reporting of government accountability, what taxpayers are spending and where, and how it translates for the businesses and communities throughout the state.
Diesel prices are crucial to the trucking industry of America, and hence, many consumer staples. Fuel prices have been a concern ahead of the 2026 midterm elections ever since Israel and America launched missile strikes into Iran on Feb. 28.
Declarations of victory, military action being complete, of ceasefire, and of the ceasefire ending have preceded multiple ups and downs in industry price trends. Before the conflict, the Strait of Hormuz – Iran is on its northern coast – had about 20% of the world’s oil passing through daily.
For North Carolina, the average on Jan. 5 was a calendar year low of $2.61 a gallon for unleaded. The price was $2.75 the day before Operation Epic Fury began; was $4.21 on May 6; and $3.48 on July 8.
Diesel was $3.39 a gallon at the beginning of the year; $5.81 on April 7; $5.50 on May 6; and $4.56 on July 8.
Events coinciding with dates are second-term Republican President Donald Trump declaring a double-sided ceasefire April 7; North Carolina having a 9-cent overnight rise in gas prices on May 6; and Trump declaring the ceasefire over and strikes resuming on July 8.
North Carolina’s electric vehicle charging rate average, according to AAA, is 41.1 cents per kilowatt-hour. The national average is 42.2 cents per kWh. More than 100,000 zero-emission vehicles are registered in the state. At the start of 2025, the state norm was 33.5 cents per kWh and the national was 34.7 cents per kWh.
Only 11 states have lower average prices for a gallon of unleaded; 11 are lower for diesel; and 22 plus the District of Columbia are lower in electric. Six states are above $5 a gallon for gasoline, led by California ($6.36), Hawaii ($5.57) and Washington ($5.53); and three states are above $7 per gallon for diesel, led by California ($8.39), Washington ($7.41) and Hawaii ($7.14).
Among the 14 major metro areas in North Carolina, the least expensive average ($4.05) for unleaded gas is in the Goldsboro, Jacksonville, and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton markets. The most expensive is the Asheville area at $4.20.
Diesel is the most consumer-friendly ($6.05) in the Jacksonville and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton markets.
North Carolina’s 41.25 cents per gallon tax rate (taxes and fees) on gasoline for 2026 is only eclipsed by California (73.6), Indiana (64.5), Washington (60.17), Pennsylvania (58.7), Michigan (53.4), Illinois (49.6), New Jersey (49.15), Maryland (46.81) and Virginia (42.4).
Motor fuel taxes fund the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s highway and multi-modal projects, accounting for more than half of the state transportation resources. The revenues go into the Highway Fund and the Highway Trust Fund.
This post was originally published on The Center Square.