Map Of Average Gas Prices

Gasoline prices vary by hundreds of dollars a year for the same household depending on where they live. Hover any state for the latest regular-grade average. Watch the chart below for how the national average has moved over the past decade — through the 2015 collapse, the 2020 pandemic crash, and the 2022 spike past $5/gal.

Average gas price by state

Per-state average for regular-grade gasoline. Greener states are cheaper, redder are more expensive. California, Hawaii, Washington, and Oregon consistently top the list — high state taxes, refinery distance, and stricter blend requirements all stack the bill.

U.S. national average over time

Monthly average since 2014. Hover the line to read off any month. Note the two big shocks: the April 2020 pandemic floor at $1.94, and the June 2022 invasion-spike peak at $5.03. Prices then cooled through 2024 and stayed in a tight $3.00–$3.30 band through 2025 before climbing again in early 2026.

What drives the spread

The state-to-state gap isn't just luck of geography — three structural factors do most of the work:

• State and local taxes. California's combined gas tax is the highest in the country; Alaska's and Mississippi's are near the bottom. Same crude price at the wholesale rack, very different number on the pump.
• Refinery proximity. Gulf Coast and Midwest refining hubs feed neighboring states cheaply. Hawaii imports nearly all of its fuel; the West Coast operates on its own isolated refining market.
• Fuel-blend requirements. California runs on a unique low-emissions formulation (CARBOB) that only a handful of refineries can produce. Summer reformulated gasoline rules add cost in many northeastern and Texas markets too.

The takeaway

Your zip code is one of the biggest variables in your fuel budget — and it's the one you can't change without moving. If your household's gas spend is creeping up alongside everything else, that's often the first sign credit-card balances are about to follow. See how to get ahead of credit card debt before the next price spike.

Sources: AAA Gas Prices (state averages, regular grade); U.S. Energy Information Administration (monthly U.S. average retail gasoline price, regular grade, all formulations).