US Gas Prices by Year — Average, High & Low Since 1990
US regular gasoline has averaged $3.83 per gallon in 2026 so far. The all-time record weekly average is $5.01 (2022). The table below gives the annual average, high and low for every year since 1990, computed from official EIA weekly data — nominal prices, not inflation-adjusted. For this week's prices by state, see current gas prices.
Regular Gasoline & Diesel by Year ($/gal, US average)
| Year | Gasoline Avg | vs prior year | High | Low | Diesel Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 YTD | 3.84 | +24% | 4.50 | 2.78 | 5.04 |
| 2025 | 3.10 | −6% | 3.24 | 2.81 | 3.66 |
| 2024 | 3.30 | −6% | 3.67 | 3.01 | 3.76 |
| 2023 | 3.52 | −11% | 3.88 | 3.05 | 4.21 |
| 2022 | 3.95 | +31% | 5.01 | 3.09 | 4.99 |
| 2021 | 3.01 | +39% | 3.41 | 2.25 | 3.29 |
| 2020 | 2.17 | −17% | 2.58 | 1.77 | 2.55 |
| 2019 | 2.60 | −4% | 2.90 | 2.24 | 3.06 |
| 2018 | 2.72 | +13% | 2.96 | 2.27 | 3.18 |
| 2017 | 2.42 | +13% | 2.69 | 2.26 | 2.65 |
| 2016 | 2.14 | −12% | 2.40 | 1.72 | 2.30 |
| 2015 | 2.43 | −28% | 2.84 | 2.03 | 2.71 |
| 2014 | 3.36 | −4% | 3.71 | 2.30 | 3.83 |
| 2013 | 3.51 | −3% | 3.78 | 3.19 | 3.92 |
| 2012 | 3.62 | +3% | 3.94 | 3.25 | 3.97 |
| 2011 | 3.52 | +27% | 3.97 | 3.07 | 3.84 |
| 2010 | 2.78 | +18% | 3.05 | 2.61 | 2.99 |
| 2009 | 2.35 | −28% | 2.69 | 1.68 | 2.47 |
| 2008 | 3.25 | +16% | 4.11 | 1.61 | 3.80 |
| 2007 | 2.80 | +9% | 3.22 | 2.17 | 2.89 |
| 2006 | 2.57 | +13% | 3.04 | 2.20 | 2.71 |
| 2005 | 2.27 | +23% | 3.07 | 1.78 | 2.40 |
| 2004 | 1.85 | +19% | 2.06 | 1.51 | 1.81 |
| 2003 | 1.56 | +16% | 1.75 | 1.44 | 1.51 |
| 2002 | 1.35 | −5% | 1.46 | 1.10 | 1.32 |
| 2001 | 1.42 | −4% | 1.71 | 1.06 | 1.40 |
| 2000 | 1.48 | +31% | 1.68 | 1.26 | 1.49 |
| 1999 | 1.14 | +10% | 1.28 | 0.91 | 1.12 |
| 1998 | 1.03 | −14% | 1.10 | 0.94 | 1.04 |
| 1997 | 1.20 | +0% | 1.24 | 1.11 | 1.20 |
| 1996 | 1.20 | +8% | 1.29 | 1.08 | 1.24 |
| 1995 | 1.11 | +3% | 1.20 | 1.06 | 1.11 |
| 1994 | 1.08 | +1% | 1.17 | 0.99 | 1.11 |
| 1993 | 1.07 | −2% | 1.11 | 1.00 | — |
| 1992 | 1.09 | −1% | 1.15 | 1.00 | — |
| 1991 | 1.10 | — | 1.19 | 1.03 | — |
| 1990 PARTIAL | 1.30 | — | 1.35 | 1.19 | — |
EIA weekly retail prices (gasoline: regular, all formulations; diesel: on-highway), averaged by calendar year. Nominal dollars. A year marked PARTIAL covers only the weeks after the series begins (August 20, 1990). See current gas prices by state, diesel prices, and what actually drives pump prices.
Regular gasoline Price by Decade
| Period | Average of annual averages | Highest weekly national average | Lowest weekly national average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990–1999 (1990 partial, excluded from the average) | 1.11 | 1.35 (1990) | 0.91 (1999) |
| 2000–2009 | 2.09 | 4.11 (2008) | 1.06 (2001) |
| 2010–2019 | 2.91 | 3.97 (2011) | 1.72 (2016) |
| 2020–2026 (so far) | 3.27 | 5.01 (2022) | 1.77 (2020) |
Prices in USD per gallon. The average of annual averages gives each year equal weight; the highest and lowest are single weekly national averages. Partial decades start where this series begins.
Biggest Year-over-Year Moves
| Move | Year | Average vs prior year | Change | What was happening |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Largest rises | 2021 | 2.17 → 3.01 | +39% | Reopening demand and recovering crude prices |
| Largest rises | 2022 | 3.01 → 3.95 | +31% | Russia's invasion of Ukraine pushed crude, diesel and refining margins sharply higher |
| Largest rises | 2000 | 1.14 → 1.48 | +31% | Higher crude prices and tight supply pushed pump prices up |
| Largest falls | 2015 | 3.36 → 2.43 | −28% | Crude collapsed on US shale growth and OPEC's market-share strategy |
| Largest falls | 2009 | 3.25 → 2.35 | −28% | The global recession cut demand and crude prices fell sharply from 2008 |
| Largest falls | 2020 | 2.60 → 2.17 | −17% | COVID-19 lockdowns collapsed fuel demand |
Completed calendar years only. The "what was happening" notes describe widely documented events and are context, not a full explanation of each move; a dash means no note is attached. Related: what drives pump prices, crude price history and oil crises.
Most Volatile Years
| Year | Low | High | Average | High-to-low range, % of average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 1.61 | 4.11 | 3.25 | 77% |
| 2005 | 1.78 | 3.07 | 2.27 | 57% |
| 2022 | 3.09 | 5.01 | 3.95 | 48% |
| 2001 | 1.06 | 1.71 | 1.42 | 46% |
| 2009 | 1.68 | 2.69 | 2.35 | 43% |
The five completed years with the widest gap between the lowest and highest weekly national average, measured against that year's average. A wide range means the price moved a long way within the year, whatever the average ended up being.
In Today's Dollars
| Rank | Year | Nominal average | Average in September 2026 dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2012 | 3.62 | 5.31 |
| 2 | 2011 | 3.52 | 5.27 |
| 3 | 2008 | 3.25 | 5.08 |
| 4 | 2013 | 3.51 | 5.07 |
| 5 | 2014 | 3.36 | 4.78 |
Annual averages deflated with BLS CPI-U (2026 M09 = latest). Real = nominal × latest CPI ÷ that year's average CPI. The current year's average of 3.84 is 3.89 in today's dollars. The CPI series used here starts in 2000, so earlier years are not ranked. Oil in real terms with a chart: prices vs inflation.
Diesel Premium Over Gasoline by Year
| Year | Gasoline average | Diesel average | Diesel premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 YTD | 3.84 | 5.04 | +$1.21 |
| 2025 | 3.10 | 3.66 | +$0.56 |
| 2024 | 3.30 | 3.76 | +$0.46 |
| 2023 | 3.52 | 4.21 | +$0.70 |
| 2022 | 3.95 | 4.99 | +$1.04 |
| 2021 | 3.01 | 3.29 | +$0.28 |
| 2020 | 2.17 | 2.55 | +$0.38 |
| 2019 | 2.60 | 3.06 | +$0.45 |
| 2018 | 2.72 | 3.18 | +$0.46 |
| 2017 | 2.42 | 2.65 | +$0.23 |
| 2016 | 2.14 | 2.30 | +$0.16 |
| 2015 | 2.43 | 2.71 | +$0.28 |
| 2014 | 3.36 | 3.83 | +$0.47 |
| 2013 | 3.51 | 3.92 | +$0.42 |
| 2012 | 3.62 | 3.97 | +$0.35 |
| 2011 | 3.52 | 3.84 | +$0.32 |
| 2010 | 2.78 | 2.99 | +$0.21 |
| 2009 | 2.35 | 2.47 | +$0.11 |
| 2008 | 3.25 | 3.80 | +$0.56 |
| 2007 | 2.80 | 2.89 | +$0.09 |
| 2006 | 2.57 | 2.71 | +$0.13 |
| 2005 | 2.27 | 2.40 | +$0.13 |
| 2004 | 1.85 | 1.81 | −$0.04 |
| 2003 | 1.56 | 1.51 | −$0.05 |
| 2002 | 1.35 | 1.32 | −$0.03 |
| 2001 | 1.42 | 1.40 | −$0.02 |
| 2000 | 1.48 | 1.49 | +$0.01 |
| 1999 | 1.14 | 1.12 | −$0.01 |
| 1998 | 1.03 | 1.04 | +$0.01 |
| 1997 | 1.20 | 1.20 | $0.00 |
| 1996 | 1.20 | 1.24 | +$0.04 |
| 1995 | 1.11 | 1.11 | $0.00 |
Difference between the two annual averages of EIA weekly US retail prices (diesel's first year, 1994, is partial and left out). Across completed years the premium was widest in 2022 ($1.04), and diesel was cheapest relative to gasoline in 2003 (−$0.05); the two annual averages came closest to parity in 1997 ($0.00). Why the gap exists: diesel vs gasoline; this week's gap: diesel prices.
Gas Price History FAQ
What is the average gas price in 2026?
US regular gasoline has averaged $3.83 per gallon in 2026 so far, ranging from $2.78 to $4.50 (EIA weekly national averages).
What is the highest gas price ever recorded in the US?
The record weekly national average for regular gasoline is $5.01 per gallon, set in 2022. (In inflation-adjusted terms, mid-2008 prices were also near record levels.)
Which year had the highest average gas price?
2022, when regular gasoline averaged $3.95 per gallon. The lowest completed-year average in this dataset was $1.03 in 1998.
What was the biggest one-year drop in gas prices?
The largest fall in the annual average was −28% in 2015, from $3.36 to $2.43 per gallon. Crude collapsed on US shale growth and OPEC's market-share strategy.
Why were gas prices so high in 2022?
Russia's invasion of Ukraine removed Russian barrels from Western markets while demand was rebounding from the pandemic, and US refining capacity had shrunk — crude, refining margins and distribution costs all spiked at once. See our explainer on what drives pump prices for the full breakdown.
Are these prices adjusted for inflation?
No — the table shows nominal (actual at-the-pump) prices as recorded by the EIA each week. In real terms, gasoline in the early 2000s was historically cheap, and the 2008 and 2022 peaks are closer together than the nominal numbers suggest.