The state average for regular gasoline is higher than the price recorded a year ago. In Houston, the price per gallon of regular hovers around $3.35 ahead of the peak road-travel period.
Gasoline in Texas becomes pricier for the July 4 weekend, as millions prepare to travel by road inside and outside the state.
The statewide average for regular gasoline stood at $3.335 per gallon on July 1, according to AAA’s daily data. A year ago, the statewide average was $2.747 per gallon, a difference of about 59 cents.
In Houston, the average for regular gasoline was $3.352 per gallon on July 1. The figure remains below the national average of $3.847, but it surpasses Houston’s average price from last year, when the gallon was $2.755.
The average in Houston hovers around $3.35 per gallon
Prices in Houston stay slightly above the state average ahead of the holiday weekend.
AAA recorded for Houston an average of $3.352 per gallon of regular gasoline, $3.957 for mid-grade, $4.371 for premium and $4.387 for diesel. A week earlier, the Houston regular average was $3.451, while a month ago it was $3.833.
That movement shows a recent drop compared to June, though prices remain higher than those recorded in the same period in 2025.
At the state level, Texas posted $3.335 per gallon of regular, $3.837 for mid-grade, $4.207 for premium and $4.283 for diesel. The state regular average was $3.376 a week earlier and $3.804 a month ago.
Millions of Texans will travel during the holiday period
The July 4 travel period runs from June 27 through July 5, according to the calendar used by AAA to measure holiday travel.
About 5 million Texans and 72 million people in the United States will travel 50 miles or more during that period. About 85% of travelers will make the trip by car, while the rest will use flights or other means of transportation.
This year’s calendar also influences movement. July 4 falls on a long weekend for many families, and the celebration coincides with the United States’ 250th anniversary of independence.
In Texas, road trips tend to increase toward destinations within the state, cities with public celebrations, beaches, parks, rural areas and family gatherings.
When Houston Embraces Venezuela
The year-over-year increase weighs on family spending
The average price in Texas is below the national average, but the year-over-year comparison still weighs on those filling up before leaving on trips.
Regular gasoline in Texas was $3.335 on July 1, up from $2.747 a year earlier. In Houston, the average rose from $2.755 to $3.352 in the same year-over-year comparison.
For a family driving long distances over the weekend, that difference can be felt on trips to Galveston, San Antonio, Austin, Dallas, the border, or destinations outside Texas.
Nationally, AAA recorded an average of $3.847 per gallon for regular on July 1. That price was below the $3.928 of a week earlier, but above the national average of $3.179 recorded a year ago.
San Antonio and Houston show nearby prices
Within Texas’ metropolitan areas, prices vary by region.
Houston posted $3.352 per gallon of regular, while San Antonio reported $3.341. In Galveston-Texas City, the average was $3.373. Austin-San Marcos was $3.192, Dallas $3.267 and Fort Worth-Arlington $3.259.
El Paso had one of the higher averages among major areas in the state, at $3.633 per gallon. Laredo logged a lower average, at $3.164.
The difference between cities can change during the week, as AAA updates its averages daily based on market fluctuations and retail prices.
Gas prices retreated from June, but remain elevated
Although prices are higher than a year ago, the recent trend shows relief vs. the previous month.
In Texas, the statewide average fell from $3.804 a month ago to $3.335 on July 1. In Houston, the average price fell from $3.833 a month ago to $3.352.
The difference may moderate part of travel spending for those traveling during the holiday, but it does not erase the year-over-year increase facing drivers.
Gas price behavior is also tied to travel demand, oil prices, fuel supply and international tensions that can move energy markets.
The travel period ends on July 5
The July 4 travel period covers June 27 through July 5. During those days, demand for gasoline rises due to family trips, trips to celebrations and weekend getaways.
AAA updates gasoline averages daily. By July 1, the regular average in Texas was $3.335 per gallon and Houston’s was $3.352.
