Agricultural Swing States Hit Hard by Iran War -- WSJ

By Konrad Putzier

The Iran war has pushed up the cost of living across the U.S., but the impact is particularly severe in a handful of swing states. In Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire and Texas, a typical household had to spend more than $600 extra on gasoline this year through mid-October because of the Iran war, according to calculations by Brown University's Climate Solutions Lab. That compares with less than $400 extra in Indiana, Oregon, New York and Washington state.

People in more sparsely populated agricultural states tend to drive bigger cars over longer distances, meaning they spend more per capita on fuel and feel the pain from rising prices more acutely. These states also have a much higher per-capita diesel consumption. The fuel is used to power tractors, combines and heavy trucks and has seen its price surge this year.

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November 03, 2026 12:33 ET (17:33 GMT)