Study finds higher gasoline prices are creating immediate financial pressure for Granite State families while also potentially threatening long-term transportation funding 

Concord, N.H. – As Memorial Day weekend approaches and many Granite Staters prepare for summer road trips, rising gasoline prices are increasing pressure on household budgets and could also create longer-term challenges for maintaining New Hampshire’s roads and bridges, according to a new analysis from the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute. 

The analysis, Higher Gasoline Prices Could Strain Both Households and Transportation Maintenance Budgets, examines recent gasoline price increases across New Hampshire and New England using data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, American Automobile Association, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, and other federal and state-level data sources. The study also examines how changes in fuel consumption could affect transportation funding and infrastructure maintenance in New Hampshire over time. 

Since late February 2026, gasoline prices in New Hampshire and throughout New England have risen sharply following global energy market disruptions. As of May 14, New Hampshire’s average gasoline price reached approximately $4.49 per gallon, an increase of more than $1.50 (57 %) per gallon in about a month and a half. 

“Higher gas prices are creating real financial pressure for many Granite Staters at a time when household budgets are already being stretched by the rising costs of other essentials, including housing, child care, and health care,” said Ben Reynolds, Senior Policy Analyst at the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute and author of the study. “These higher fuel costs could also create longer-term challenges for maintaining and improving New Hampshire’s roads and bridges.” 

The report notes that nearly 600,000 New Hampshire workers commuted by motor vehicle in 2024, meaning fuel price increases can quickly add up for many families. According to the analysis, a household driving a vehicle averaging 22 miles per gallon could spend approximately $768 more annually on gasoline based on the recent increase in fuel prices and average driving distances. The report notes these higher costs may place particular pressure on rural Granite Staters, households with lower and moderate incomes, and people with longer commutes or fewer transportation alternatives. 

The analysis also finds that higher gas prices could affect transportation funding over time. New Hampshire’s Motor Fuels Tax, which generated more than $188 million in revenue in 2025, is charged per gallon sold rather than as a percentage of gasoline prices. If residents purchase less fuel due to higher gasoline prices, revenues available for road and bridge maintenance and improvements could decline. 

The report notes that New Hampshire has made significant progress improving transportation infrastructure over the last decade, with the share of State-maintained roads rated in “Good” or “Fair” condition increasing from 68% in 2014 to 85% in 2024 and the number of red-listed bridges declining substantially. However, the analysis warns that maintaining and building on that progress could become more difficult if high fuel prices reduce transportation revenues while infrastructure construction and maintenance costs continue to rise. 

To read the report, Higher Gasoline Prices Could Strain Both Households and Transportation Maintenance Budgets, visit https://nhfpi.org/resource/higher-gasoline-prices-could-strain-both-households-and-transportation-maintenance-budgets/.  

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About the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute 

The New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute is a nonpartisan, independent research nonprofit organization that examines issues related to the state budget, the economy, policy decisions, and the financial security of Granite Staters, centering on issues relevant to people and families with low- and moderate-income. Learn more at www.nhfpi.org.