حمّل القصص مجاناً وابدأ مغامرتك مع طفلك الآن!
Check your tank gauge. It is July 29th. We are in the final 72 hours of what is traditionally the cheapest month to buy propane in the United States.
Right now, millions of Americans living off the natural gas grid are sleeping on a ticking time bomb. The “summer fill-up”—that sweet spot when residential propane hits its annual low—is being hijacked by a crisis 7,000 miles away. As you read this, the national average for residential propane sits near $2.85 per gallon. But if my two decades on the energy desk have taught me anything, it’s that August 1st is going to bring a rude awakening.
With Brent Crude spiking past $86 a barrel and a severe naval blockade choking the Strait of Hormuz, global buyers are in full panic mode. And guess where they are turning? The US Gulf Coast. America is exporting its propane inventory at a breakneck pace, draining domestic tanks just weeks before the fall crop-drying and winter heating seasons begin.
Top Energy Bulletins Today (July 29, 2026)
- The Export Drain: With Middle Eastern shipping lanes paralyzed (Strait of Hormuz traffic down 81.7%), European and Asian markets are aggressively outbidding domestic US buyers for Gulf Coast propane.
- Winter Pre-Buys Suspended: Several major regional suppliers in the Northeast and Midwest have temporarily suspended their “fixed-price” winter pre-buy contracts, fearing wholesale costs will spiral out of control by September.
- The Commercial Gap: Wholesale/Commercial prices at the Mont Belvieu, Texas hub remain volatile but significantly cheaper than residential rates, frustrating homeowners who are bearing the brunt of distributor markups.
- Crop-Drying Crunch: Agricultural states are on high alert. A wetter-than-usual summer means farmers will need record amounts of propane to dry corn this fall, setting up a brutal supply war between agricultural and residential buyers.
The Ultimate 50-State Propane Price Matrix (As of Today)
Propane pricing is wildly hyper-local. Your rate depends heavily on your proximity to the major hubs (Mont Belvieu, TX and Conway, KS) and the logistics required to get the fuel up the mountains or into the Northeast.
Note: Prices are listed in USD per Gallon. Residential prices reflect average consumer fill-ups (100+ gallons), while Commercial rates reflect bulk/wholesale regional rack averages.
United States Propane Averages
| State | Capital | Residential (Per Gal) | Commercial (Per Gal) |
| Alabama | Montgomery | $2.68 | $1.42 |
| Alaska | Juneau | $4.85 | $3.15 |
| Arizona | Phoenix | $2.80 | $1.50 |
| Arkansas | Little Rock | $2.55 | $1.38 |
| California | Sacramento | $3.65 | $2.10 |
| Colorado | Denver | $2.75 | $1.55 |
| Connecticut | Hartford | $3.85 | $2.25 |
| Delaware | Hartford | $3.78 | $2.15 |
| Florida | Tallahassee | $3.10 | $1.65 |
| Georgia | Tallahassee | $3.05 | $1.60 |
| Hawaii | Honolulu | $5.10 | $3.40 |
| Idaho | Boise | $2.82 | $1.58 |
| Illinois | Springfield | $2.35 | $1.32 |
| Indiana | Indianapolis | $2.38 | $1.35 |
| Iowa | Des Moines | $2.25 | $1.28 |
| Kansas | Topeka | $2.20 | $1.25 |
| Kentucky | Frankfort | $2.58 | $1.40 |
| Louisiana | Baton Rouge | $2.45 | $1.30 |
| Maine | Augusta | $3.90 | $2.30 |
| Maryland | Annapolis | $3.65 | $2.05 |
| Massachusetts | Boston | $3.88 | $2.28 |
| Michigan | Lansing | $2.42 | $1.38 |
| Minnesota | St. Paul | $2.30 | $1.30 |
| Mississippi | Jackson | $2.50 | $1.35 |
| Missouri | Jefferson City | $2.28 | $1.28 |
| Montana | Helena | $2.85 | $1.60 |
| Nebraska | Lincoln | $2.25 | $1.25 |
| Nevada | Carson City | $3.45 | $1.95 |
| New Hampshire | Concord | $3.85 | $2.25 |
| New Jersey | Trenton | $3.75 | $2.10 |
| New Mexico | Carson City | $3.10 | $1.75 |
| New York | Albany | $3.80 | $2.15 |
| North Carolina | Raleigh | $2.95 | $1.55 |
| North Dakota | Bismarck | $2.40 | $1.35 |
| Ohio | Columbus | $2.45 | $1.40 |
| Oklahoma | Oklahoma City | $2.35 | $1.32 |
| Oregon | Salem | $3.40 | $1.90 |
| Pennsylvania | Albany | $3.70 | $2.05 |
| Rhode Island | Concord | $3.88 | $2.25 |
| South Carolina | Columbia | $2.98 | $1.58 |
| South Dakota | Pierre | $2.42 | $1.38 |
| Tennessee | Columbia | $2.85 | $1.50 |
| Texas | Austin | $2.40 | $1.28 |
| Utah | Salt Lake City | $3.15 | $1.80 |
| Vermont | Providence | $3.88 | $2.28 |
| Virginia | Richmond | $2.88 | $1.52 |
| Washington | Olympia | $3.55 | $2.00 |
| West Virginia | Richmond | $3.10 | $1.65 |
| Wisconsin | Madison | $2.32 | $1.32 |
| Wyoming | Charleston | $2.65 | $1.45 |
(Note: Washington D.C. averages mirror surrounding Maryland/Virginia rates at approx. $3.65/gal residential).
The “Export Drain” and the August Threat
Look closely at the data matrix. If you live in Kansas or Texas, you are enjoying the luxury of proximity to the massive Conway and Mont Belvieu storage hubs. You are paying around $2.20 a gallon. But look at New England. Maine and Massachusetts are already pushing $3.90 a gallon—in July.
Why does this matter today? Because the United States is a net exporter of propane. When a global crisis blocks the Strait of Hormuz, countries in Asia and Europe panic. They turn to the US Gulf Coast, throwing premium cash at American suppliers to load up Very Large Gas Carriers (VLGCs) and send that propane overseas.
This means the propane meant to be stored for your winter heating is currently sailing across the Atlantic and Pacific.
When August hits, and agricultural states begin placing massive bulk orders to dry their fall harvests, they will find the domestic tanks lighter than usual. Basic economics dictates what happens next: the distributors will pass the premium onto the homeowner.
The Bottom Line: You have exactly 72 hours until July ends and distributors reset their monthly pricing structures. If your tank is sitting at 30%, do not wait for the leaves to start turning brown. Call your local co-op or supplier today. Lock in your “summer fill” rate, or ask about a fixed-price winter pre-buy contract. Because by Monday, the geopolitical premium will land right on your front porch.
