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Gas prices by year

A gallon of regular gas averaged $3.26 in U.S. cities in 2025, up from $1.25 in 1980. In minutes of work at the average wage it went from 11 to 6.2.

The chart

$0$2$4$619801990200020102020$3.261980: $1.25, 10.9 min of work1981: $1.38, 11.1 min of work1982: $1.30, 9.9 min of work1983: $1.24, 9.1 min of work1984: $1.21, 8.6 min of work1985: $1.20, 8.2 min of work1986: $0.93, 6.3 min of work1987: $0.95, 6.2 min of work1988: $0.95, 6.0 min of work1989: $1.02, 6.2 min of work1990: $1.16, 6.8 min of work1991: $1.14, 6.5 min of work1992: $1.13, 6.3 min of work1993: $1.11, 6.0 min of work1994: $1.11, 5.9 min of work1995: $1.15, 5.9 min of work1996: $1.23, 6.1 min of work1997: $1.23, 5.9 min of work1998: $1.06, 4.9 min of work1999: $1.17, 5.2 min of work2000: $1.51, 6.5 min of work2001: $1.46, 6.0 min of work2002: $1.36, 5.5 min of work2003: $1.59, 6.2 min of work2005: $2.30, 8.6 min of work2006: $2.59, 9.3 min of work2007: $2.80, 9.6 min of work2008: $3.27, 10.9 min of work2009: $2.35, 7.6 min of work2010: $2.79, 8.8 min of work2011: $3.53, 10.9 min of work2012: $3.64, 11.1 min of work2013: $3.53, 10.5 min of work2014: $3.37, 9.8 min of work2015: $2.45, 7.0 min of work2016: $2.14, 6.0 min of work2017: $2.41, 6.6 min of work2018: $2.74, 7.2 min of work2019: $2.64, 6.7 min of work2020: $2.17, 5.3 min of work2021: $3.05, 7.1 min of work2022: $4.09, 8.9 min of work2023: $3.66, 7.6 min of work2024: $3.45, 6.9 min of work2025: $3.26, 6.2 min of work
Annual U.S. city average in the dollars of each year. Every year is in the table below.

Every year

YearPriceChangeWork
2025$3.26-6%6.2 min
2024$3.45-6%6.9 min
2023$3.66-11%7.6 min
2022$4.09+34%8.9 min
2021$3.05+41%7.1 min
2020$2.17-18%5.3 min
2019$2.64-4%6.7 min
2018$2.74+14%7.2 min
2017$2.41+13%6.6 min
2016$2.14-13%6.0 min
2015$2.45-27%7.0 min
2014$3.37-5%9.8 min
2013$3.53-3%11 min
2012$3.64+3%11 min
2011$3.53+27%11 min
2010$2.79+19%8.8 min
2009$2.35-28%7.6 min
2008$3.27+17%11 min
2007$2.80+8%9.6 min
2006$2.59+13%9.3 min
2005$2.30+22%8.6 min
2004In today's Then & Now
2003$1.59+17%6.2 min
2002$1.36-7%5.5 min
2001$1.46-3%6.0 min
2000$1.51+29%6.5 min
1999$1.17+10%5.2 min
1998$1.06-14%4.9 min
1997$1.23+0%5.9 min
1996$1.23+7%6.1 min
1995$1.15+4%5.9 min
1994$1.11+0%5.9 min
1993$1.11-2%6.0 min
1992$1.13-1%6.3 min
1991$1.14-2%6.5 min
1990$1.16+14%6.8 min
1989$1.02+7%6.2 min
1988$0.95+0%6.0 min
1987$0.95+2%6.2 min
1986$0.93-22%6.3 min
1985$1.20-1%8.2 min
1984$1.21-2%8.6 min
1983$1.24-5%9.1 min
1982$1.30-6%9.9 min
1981$1.38+10%11 min
1980$1.2511 min

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Average Price Data, series APU000074714 (Gasoline, unleaded regular, per gallon/3.785 liters, U.S. city average). Each year is the mean of its monthly averages; years with fewer than ten months published are left out. Work is minutes at the BLS average hourly earnings of production and nonsupervisory employees. Not adjusted for inflation.

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<iframe src="https://www.pricele.online/embed/history/gasoline" title="Gas prices by year" width="100%" height="360" style="border:0;max-width:600px" loading="lazy"></iframe>

Answered

What year were gas prices highest?
2022, when a gallon of regular gas averaged $4.09 in U.S. cities (per gallon, unleaded regular), counting the years shown on this page.
When was a gallon of regular gas cheapest in work time?
1998. At $1.06 and that year's average hourly wage, it took about 4.9 minutes of work. It took the longest in 1981, about 11 minutes.
What was the biggest one-year jump?
2021, up +41% on the year before to $3.05.

Play with it

Then & Now asks what one of these items cost in an earlier year, and Price Year shows a receipt and asks for the year. For how this item compares with the rest, read only three groceries got harder to buy since 1980. Other items: egg, white bread, ground beef, bacon, banana, cheddar cheese, ice cream, coffee, potato chip, chicken, chocolate chip cookie, tomato, sugar, orange juice.