What the average US price of regular gasoline measures
Each point is the nationwide average pump price for one gallon of regular gasoline (all formulations), taxes included. The Energy Information Administration surveys a sample of gas stations every Monday; the chart averages those weekly prices by month, starting in 1990. Prices are in current dollars, not adjusted for inflation.
How to read this chart
Pump prices trail crude oil by roughly two to four weeks, so the big swings mirror the oil chart. Within each year there is a seasonal pattern: prices usually rise in spring as refiners switch to the more expensive summer blend and driving picks up, and ease in the fall. Sudden jumps often trace to refinery outages, hurricanes on the Gulf Coast or geopolitical shocks.
The latest reading in context
- At $4.31, the latest reading is above its 5-year average of $3.53 and above its 10-year average of $3.04.
- That is higher than 99% of all monthly readings since September 1990 – near the top of its historical range.
- Direction: down 1.0% over the past month; up 5.0% over the past six months; up 40.8% over the past year.
- The highest value on record is $4.93 (June 2022, 4 years ago); the lowest is $0.92 (February 1999, 27 years ago).
- The full history spans 4 US recessions, shaded grey on the chart.
Why it matters
Gasoline is the price consumers notice most, and it has a big influence on how people perceive inflation and the economy. It also takes a direct bite out of household budgets: a $1 rise in the price per gallon costs US drivers well over $100 billion a year. Energy is a volatile part of the CPI, which is why headline inflation swings with gas prices.
What moves the average US price of regular gasoline
- Crude oil, typically half or more of the pump price
- Refining costs and margins
- Federal and state taxes (federal tax is 18.4 cents per gallon)
- Distribution and marketing
- Seasonal demand and summer-blend rules
Key moments in its history
- 1998–1999Below $1 a gallon during an oil glut.
- Mid-2008Above $4 a gallon for the first time.
- Apr 2020Fell below $2 as pandemic lockdowns emptied the roads.
- Jun 2022Reached a record of about $5 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
US Gas Prices data tables
Average by decade
| Decade | Average | High | Low |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s (so far) | $3.26 | $4.93 | $1.84 |
| 2010s | $2.91 | $3.91 | $1.76 |
| 2000s | $2.09 | $4.06 | $1.09 |
| 1990s | $1.12 | $1.34 | $0.92 |
Last 12 months
| Period | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2026 | $4.31 | −1.0% |
| Sep 2026 | $4.36 | +7.3% |
| Aug 2026 | $4.06 | +3.2% |
| Jul 2026 | $3.93 | −2.9% |
| Jun 2026 | $4.05 | −9.6% |
| May 2026 | $4.48 | +9.2% |
| Apr 2026 | $4.10 | +12.8% |
| Mar 2026 | $3.64 | +25.1% |
| Feb 2026 | $2.91 | +3.5% |
| Jan 2026 | $2.81 | −2.9% |
| Dec 2025 | $2.89 | −5.1% |
| Nov 2025 | $3.05 | −0.3% |
Monthly values. Decade figures are averages of the monthly values in each decade. The complete history is available as a CSV file.
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US Gas Prices: questions and answers
What makes up the price of a gallon of gas?
Roughly: crude oil 50–60%, refining 15–25%, taxes about 15%, and distribution and marketing the rest. The shares shift as oil prices move.
Why are gas prices higher in summer?
Demand rises with vacation driving, and environmental rules require a summer blend that evaporates less and costs more to refine.
Is this price adjusted for inflation?
No. It is the nominal pump price. Adjusted for inflation, prices in mid-2008 and mid-2022 were similar, and both were below the early-1980s peak in real terms.
Where does the data on this chart come from?
From the U.S. Energy Information Administration. ChartWidgets downloads the series (GASREGW) from FRED, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis database, and checks for new releases every day. The last update was on November 1, 2026.