Average U.S. gas prices on Saturday are now just 9 cents off this year's May 21 peak of $4.56 per gallon. Prices are most expensive in California, where a gallon now costs $6.13 on average.
Gas prices have risen precipitously since the beginning of the Iran War; the average gallon cost $2.98 on February 28 on the first day of hostilities. A temporary de-escalation in the conflict saw prices drop again between late May and early July, but they have since surged again, data from NBC's tracker shows.
