While Wisconsin gas prices remain lower than the national average, they’ve jumped by nearly a third over the past month amid the conflict in Iran.
The state Department of Revenue’s latest economic update report shows retail prices of gasoline in Wisconsin averaged $3.62 per gallon on Tuesday, below the national average of $4.02 per gallon.
Gas prices in Wisconsin have risen by 32% over last month’s average of $2.74 per gallon, an increase of $0.88 per gallon, per the report. Prices tend to be lower in counties along Wisconsin’s western side, and generally higher in the state’s northern region.
Meanwhile, diesel prices in the state have also risen from $3.67 per gallon last month to $4.74 per gallon on Tuesday, marking an increase of $1.11 per gallon or about 29%.
“Higher diesel prices can lead to higher prices on a number of goods due to increased transport costs,” authors wrote.
The DOR report also shows Wisconsin had an increase in housing permits last year, with total permits rising 7.4% to 25,202 and single-family permits rising 3.4% to 13,206. That’s the second year in a row of growth in both total and single-family permits following declines in 2023.
The boost comes as the state’s housing market remains a “strong seller’s market” with demand continuing to outpace supply, the Wisconsin Realtors Association reports.
Last year, the state saw a decline in housing permits in the second quarter, as total permits were down 9.8% year-over-year, while single-family permits were “nearly flat” with just 0.2% growth over the year, according to the DOR figures.
But in the fourth quarter of 2025, total permits rose by 23.5% over the prior year even as single-family dipped 2.6%.
At the national level, total housing permits declined by 4.1% in 2025 while single-family permits fell by 7.1%. Authors note permits nationwide have declined every year since 2021.
See more in the report.
