Gas prices · United States
U.S. gas prices peaked at $5.01 a gallon in June 2022
About this number
A year earlier, regular gas cost $3.02 a gallon. Adjusted for inflation, the costliest week was in June 2008, when a gallon cost the equivalent of $6.31 in September 2026 dollars.
The Energy Information Administration’s weekly records begin in August 1990. Since then, the U.S. average price of regular gas has ranged from $0.91 a gallon in February 1999 to $5.01 in June 2022.
How have U.S. gas prices changed over time?
In 1992, the first full year of weekly records, regular gas averaged $1.09 a gallon. From then to 2002, the yearly average stayed between $1.03 and $1.48.
Then it rose every year, from $1.34 in 2002 to $3.25 in 2008. It fell to $2.35 in 2009. From 2011 to 2014 the yearly average stayed between $3.36 and $3.62, before dropping to $2.14 in 2016.
The average jumped again in 2022, to $3.95, the highest yearly average since 1992. So far in 2026 it is $3.87.
The chart shows every week since January 21, 1991. The grey line is the price at the time. The dark line is the same price in September 2026 dollars, meaning what that week’s gas would cost at September 2026 price levels. Look for where the two lines pull apart: the further back you go, the more inflation has added.
Counting inflation, gas cost the most in 2008, not 2022
Average U.S. price of a gallon of regular gas, each week from January 21, 1991 to November 2, 2026: the price at the time, and adjusted for inflation to September 2026 dollars (our calculation).
The dark line is our calculation, not a figure the Energy Information Administration publishes. It uses the Consumer Price Index and ends in September 2026, the last month the index covers. The grey line runs to November 2, 2026. The Bureau of Labor Statistics published no index for October 2025, so the dark line has a short break there.
The chart starts in January 1991 because the Energy Information Administration lists no price for the weeks of December 10, 1990 through January 14, 1991.
Gas prices over the last 10 years
Over the last ten years, the lowest weekly price was $1.77 in April 2020 and the highest was $5.01 in June 2022. The next chart shows those years week by week.
Gas fell to $1.77 in April 2020 and rose to $5.01 in June 2022
Average U.S. price of a gallon of regular gas, each week from November 7, 2016 to November 2, 2026, the price at the time.
What were the highest gas prices in U.S. history?
Regular gas peaked at $5.01 a gallon in the week of June 13, 2022, the highest weekly price in the Energy Information Administration’s records, which start in August 1990. It was the only week above $5. Both are true: 2022 had the highest price paid at the time, and 2008 was costliest once inflation is counted.
The table lists the five highest weeks, one for each surge in prices. The second-highest came in May 2026, at $4.50.
| Rank | Week | Price at the time | In September 2026 dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 13, 2022 | $5.01 | $5.69 |
| 2 | May 11, 2026 | $4.50 | $4.52 |
| 3 | July 7, 2008 | $4.11 | $6.30 |
| 4 | May 9, 2011 | $3.97 | $5.91 |
| 5 | September 17, 2012 | $3.88 | $5.65 |
Regular gas, U.S. average, dollars per gallon. The last column puts the same week in September 2026 dollars; it is our calculation.
Counting inflation, 2008 was higher than 2022
In September 2026 dollars, the five costliest weeks were June 2008 ($6.31), May 2011 ($5.91), June 2022 ($5.69), September 2012 ($5.65) and April 2014 ($5.28). The 2022 peak ranks 3rd on that list.
Within 2008, the highest price at the time was in the week of July 7, 2008. The costliest week after adjusting was the one before it, June 30, 2008.
Gas prices in 2008
Regular gas averaged $3.25 a gallon in 2008. It reached $4.11 in the week of July 7, 2008, then fell to $1.61 by the week of December 29, 2008, the lowest price since January 2004.
What was the average price of gas each year?
Regular gas has averaged $3.87 a gallon so far in 2026, from Jan 5 to Nov 2. The table gives every year since 1990: the average, the highest and lowest weeks, and the average in September 2026 dollars.
| Year | Average | Highest week | Lowest week | Average in September 2026 dollars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 through Nov 2 | $3.87 | $4.50 May 2026 | $2.78 January 2026 | $3.87 see note |
| 2025 | $3.10 | $3.24 April 2025 | $2.81 December 2025 | $3.24 see note |
| 2024 | $3.30 | $3.67 April 2024 | $3.01 December 2024 | $3.55 |
| 2023 | $3.52 | $3.88 September 2023 | $3.05 December 2023 | $3.89 |
| 2022 | $3.95 | $5.01 June 2022 | $3.09 December 2022 | $4.55 |
| 2021 | $3.01 | $3.41 November 2021 | $2.25 January 2021 | $3.73 |
| 2020 | $2.17 | $2.58 January 2020 | $1.77 April 2020 | $2.82 |
| 2019 | $2.60 | $2.90 May 2019 | $2.24 January 2019 | $3.43 |
| 2018 | $2.72 | $2.96 May 2018 | $2.27 December 2018 | $3.65 |
| 2017 | $2.41 | $2.69 September 2017 | $2.26 July 2017 | $3.32 |
| 2016 | $2.14 | $2.40 June 2016 | $1.72 February 2016 | $3.01 |
| 2015 | $2.43 | $2.84 June 2015 | $2.03 December 2015 | $3.45 |
| 2014 | $3.36 | $3.71 April 2014 | $2.30 December 2014 | $4.78 |
| 2013 | $3.50 | $3.78 February 2013 | $3.19 November 2013 | $5.07 |
| 2012 | $3.62 | $3.94 April 2012 | $3.25 December 2012 | $5.31 |
| 2011 | $3.52 | $3.97 May 2011 | $3.07 January 2011 | $5.27 |
| 2010 | $2.78 | $3.05 December 2010 | $2.61 February 2010 | $4.30 |
| 2009 | $2.35 | $2.69 November 2009 | $1.68 January 2009 | $3.69 |
| 2008 | $3.25 | $4.11 July 2008 | $1.61 December 2008 | $5.07 |
| 2007 | $2.80 | $3.22 May 2007 | $2.17 January 2007 | $4.54 |
| 2006 | $2.57 | $3.04 August 2006 | $2.20 November 2006 | $4.30 |
| 2005 | $2.27 | $3.07 September 2005 | $1.78 January 2005 | $3.91 |
| 2004 | $1.85 | $2.06 May 2004 | $1.51 January 2004 | $3.30 |
| 2003 | $1.56 | $1.75 August 2003 | $1.44 January 2003 | $2.86 |
| 2002 | $1.34 | $1.46 October 2002 | $1.10 January 2002 | $2.52 |
| 2001 | $1.42 | $1.71 May 2001 | $1.06 December 2001 | $2.70 |
| 2000 | $1.48 | $1.68 June 2000 | $1.26 January 2000 | $2.90 |
| 1999 | $1.14 | $1.28 December 1999 | $0.91 February 1999 | $2.30 |
| 1998 | $1.03 | $1.10 January 1998 | $0.94 December 1998 | $2.13 |
| 1997 | $1.20 | $1.24 August 1997 | $1.11 December 1997 | $2.52 |
| 1996 | $1.20 | $1.29 May 1996 | $1.08 February 1996 | $2.58 |
| 1995 | $1.11 | $1.20 June 1995 | $1.06 November 1995 | $2.46 |
| 1994 | $1.07 | $1.17 August 1994 | $0.99 January 1994 | $2.44 |
| 1993 | $1.07 | $1.11 May 1993 | $1.00 December 1993 | $2.49 |
| 1992 | $1.09 | $1.15 June 1992 | $1.00 February 1992 | $2.61 |
| 1991 from Jan 21 | $1.10 | $1.19 January 1991 | $1.03 March 1991 | $2.72 |
| 1990 Aug 20 to Dec 3 | $1.30 | $1.35 October 1990 | $1.19 August 1990 | $3.29 |
Average of the weekly prices in the year, with the highest and lowest weekly prices; dollars per gallon, regular gas, U.S. The adjusted average puts each week in September 2026 dollars; it is our calculation. 2025 leaves out October, when BLS published no Consumer Price Index. 2026 leaves out October and November, because the index for those months isn’t out yet. 1990 starts on Aug 20, and the Energy Information Administration lists no price for the weeks of December 10, 1990 through January 14, 1991.
How much of a paycheck does a gallon of gas take?
In the third quarter of 2026, one gallon of regular gas cost 0.33% of the median full-time worker’s weekly pay, up from 0.26% a year earlier. We call that measure the Pump Tax. It divides each quarter’s average gas price by median weekly earnings, both in dollars of the time.
The full history, back to the third quarter of 1990, is on our Pump Tax page.
Heating oil and propane prices over time
Heating oil cost $6.23 a gallon in the week of October 26, 2026, up from $3.60 a year earlier. That is the highest price in the Energy Information Administration’s records, which start in October 1990. The previous high was $5.90, in the week of November 7, 2022.
Propane cost $2.73 a gallon, up from $2.43 a year earlier. Its record is $4.01, in the week of January 27, 2014.
| Fuel | Latest week | A year earlier | Highest week since 1990 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heating oil | $6.23 Oct 26 | $3.60 Oct 27 | $6.23 October 26, 2026 |
| Propane | $2.73 Oct 26 | $2.43 Oct 27 | $4.01 January 27, 2014 |
Residential prices as reported, not adjusted for inflation.
The Energy Information Administration collects these prices mainly from October through March, the heating season, so the readings come in winter stretches and not all year.
Questions about gas prices
What was the average price of gas in 2008?
Regular gas averaged $3.25 a gallon in 2008. The weekly price was highest in the week of July 7, 2008, at $4.11, and lowest in the week of December 29, 2008, at $1.61.
What is the highest gas price in U.S. history?
In the week of June 13, 2022, the national average for regular gas was $5.01 a gallon, the highest weekly price in the Energy Information Administration’s records, which start in August 1990. Adjusted for inflation to September 2026 dollars, the highest was $6.31 in the week of June 30, 2008.
How do you adjust gas prices for inflation?
We multiply each week’s price by the Consumer Price Index for September 2026 and divide by the index for the month the week falls in. That shows what the price would have been in September 2026 dollars. The Bureau of Labor Statistics published no index for October 2025, so those weeks have no adjusted price.
Why is the price at my gas station different from these numbers?
These are national averages for regular gas, from the Energy Information Administration’s weekly survey of stations. Prices in your state or city, and for midgrade, premium or diesel, run higher or lower.
Sources and method
Each week’s price is the Energy Information Administration’s U.S. average for a Monday. The yearly average is the mean of the weekly prices in that calendar year, and the highest and lowest weeks are the highest and lowest weekly prices in it. The adjusted price multiplies a week’s price by the index for September 2026 and divides by the index for the week’s month. The chart starts on January 21, 1991 because the Energy Information Administration lists no price for the weeks of December 10, 1990 through January 14, 1991. The highest weeks are listed one for each surge: a week is skipped if a higher one falls within one year of it. The yearly averages, adjusted prices and rankings are our calculations.
- U.S. Energy Information Administration Weekly retail prices for regular gasoline, all formulations, U.S. average, each Monday from August 20, 1990 to November 2, 2026, and weekly residential heating oil and propane prices, U.S. average, from October 1990 to October 26, 2026. Prices are in dollars per gallon as reported, not adjusted for inflation. Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update Heating Oil and Propane Update
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, all items, U.S. city average, not seasonally adjusted (series CUUR0000SA0), from January 1990 to September 2026. The Bureau also publishes the median weekly earnings behind our Pump Tax measure. The inflation adjustment is our calculation. Consumer Price Index data
We write with assistance from AI tools. Figures come from the data and sources named on this page.