Last Updated on March 29, 2026 8:38 am
The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline has jumped exactly $1.00 in one month, according to AAA — and drivers across the High Country are feeling it at the pump.
Here's where prices stand as of Sunday, March 29, 2026:
- Watauga County Low: $3.77/gallon (BP, 1321 Blowing Rock Rd, Boone)
- Most Area Stations: $3.79/gallon
- Diesel (Local): $5.39/gallon
- National Average: $3.98/gallon
AAA reported that the national average stood at $2.98 on February 26 and has climbed to $3.98 today — a $1.00 increase in just 31 days, one of the steepest one-month surges in recent years.
The rapid increase is being driven by the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran, which has disrupted oil shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Approximately 20 percent of the world's oil supply passes through that critical waterway. Crude oil prices have topped $100 per barrel multiple times in recent weeks.
The White House has released oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in an effort to ease prices, but analysts say meaningful relief at the pump has not yet arrived.
WataugaOnline publishes a weekly gas prices report. Prices are sourced from GasBuddy and AAA and may vary by location and change after posting.
Sources: GasBuddy, AAA Carolinas
