Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
Report: Mass. drivers have paid more than $1 million extra at the pump since the Iran war began
A new U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee analysis finds fuel costs surged for state motorists and home heating after the conflict started in late February.
Previously:
A new report shows that people across the nation have already paid $8.4 billion extra for gasoline since the Iran War began, after the average price of gas rose from under $2 a gallon to more than $4 a gallon.
In Massachusetts alone, the report found that residents have spent over $137 million more on gas.
“President Trump’s war against Iran has contributed to higher home heating costs across New Hampshire and our region,” said New Hampshire’s U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, a Democrat who is the ranking member of the Joint Economic Committee, in a statement.
Advertisement:
She continued, “This new data is further proof that as families seek relief, President Trump just keeps making life less affordable.”
The committee found that people are spending on average 35% more at the pump to fill their tanks than they did on Feb. 28.
It now costs $145 to fill one tank in a Ford F-150 pickup truck, the best-selling car in America, up $37 from a month ago. For a sedan, the price is up to $52, and for an SUV, it is $59.
The committee calculated gas spending in 2026 using daily average gas price data from AAA through March 31, Edmunds.com data on the top-selling gas vehicles in the United States, and federal data on gasoline consumption from the Federal Highway Administration and the Energy Information Administration.
On Thursday, U.S. Sen. Ed Markey also released new data on the “worsening affordability crisis” families are facing due to rising gas and oil prices.
Advertisement:
In a release from the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, the committee found that families with two cars will see an annual increase of $1,096 in gas prices this year.
“America’s small businesses, workers, and families are really feeling pain at the pump — all thanks to Trump’s illegal war on Iran,” Markey said in a statement.
The Joint Economic Committee also reported that the average New England family paid over $200 more to heat their home since the war began.
In Massachusetts, home oil costs rose 37.9% from March 2025, increasing the cost of a tank of oil by $224.
For these estimates, the committee used weekly heating oil price data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, along with temperature data from the National Weather Service and industry data.
In Massachusetts, all three of the Republican candidates for governor have voiced support for suspending the state’s gas tax, according to CBS News.
Gov. Maura Healey told the news station she didn’t support suspending the gas tax, saying, “I don’t think it’s going to get us very far right now in the overall picture.”
However, some red states have suspended the tax to combat the rising costs.
Advertisement:
The AP reports that Georgia implemented a 60-day suspension, while Utah’s governor signed a law temporarily trimming 6 cents off the fuel tax, which won’t begin until July 1.
On Wednesday, CNN reported that Indiana joined in, with the governor suspending a 7% “use tax” on fuel for 30 days.
Be civil. Be kind.
Read our full community guidelines.To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address