Gasoline Inflation in the United States (1968-2024)

The average price of gasoline jumped 3.9% in the 12 months ending February as compared to the annual decrease of 6.4% in January, according to the most recent inflation data published Mar. 12, 2024, by the U.S. Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Gasoline is an important category reported within the BLS’s monthly report on consumer inflation, the Consumer Price Index (CPI). "Gasoline (all types)" is listed as a subcategory under the overall "Energy" index, as is fuel oil, electricity, and natural gas.

The following chart shows some of the most important figures reported in the latest CPI report.

Energy is included in the CPI’s "all items" index, which measure the average change over time in prices paid by consumers for good and services and is used to calculate inflation rates. However, due to the volatility of energy prices, they (along with food prices) are excluded when calculating core inflation rates.

This next chart highlights how gasoline prices have changed over time (gasoline inflation):

*For unfinished years, the latest inflation data (12-month based) is always displayed in the chart’s final column.

Table: Gasoline Inflation by Month and Year (1968-2024)

The table below shows the percentage increase or decrease in gas prices on an annual basis by month and calendar year. Specifically, it shows the rate of inflation for gasoline for the given month and year. As the figures provided by the BLS are based on 12-month periods, you can look to the December column to find the overall change in gas prices by calendar year. (See also: Gas Prices Adjusted for Inflation.)

YEAR JAN FEB  MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
1968 1.9 2.7 2.3 0.4 0.4 1.1 1.1 2.3 0.4 2.3 0.7 1.5
1969 1.5 1.5 3.4 5.3 4.5 4.9 3.7 3.3 3.3 3.3 1.9 3.4
1970 1.8 1.8 -1.4 1.1 1.4 -1.1 1.1 -0.7 0.4 1.1 2.2 2.5
1971 2.9 1.4 2.2 -2.8 -2.1 -0.4 -2.1 2.9 2.9 1.8 0.4 -0.4
1972 -0.7 -0.4 0.4 1.1 2.2 0.7 2.5 0.4 1.7 1.4 3.2 2.8
1973 3.5 5.4 5.7 8.7 8.5 12.2 11.3 9.8 6.5 10.7 14.8 19.6
1974 26.7 32.7 41.6 41.5 43.3 40.9 41.1 40.1 40.5 32.0 25.7 20.7
1975 14.3 8.7 1.4 0.9 0.2 2.3 6.1 7.5 8.5 11.1 11.4 11.0
1976 9.9 8.5 6.8 5.1 4.8 4.4 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.9 2.6 2.8
1977 3.0 5.4 7.5 9.3 8.9 6.8 5.7 5.0 4.6 4.4 4.4 4.8
1978 4.8 3.3 2.5 1.6 1.4 2.0 3.4 4.8 5.8 6.2 7.4 8.6
1979 10.0 12.4 16.6 23.5 29.0 36.5 42.0 46.0 49.4 50.5 50.7 52.1
1980 60.1 67.9 68.1 59.7 51.7 42.0 34.5 28.8 23.9 22.1 20.7 18.9
1981 15.0 14.8 13.4 11.9 10.9 10.2 9.6 9.5 10.3 10.6 10.5 9.4
1982 5.4 -2.9 -8.7 -12.5 -11.1 -5.4 -3.1 -3.2 -4.1 -4.7 -5.3 -6.7
1983 -8.4 -10.0 -9.2 0.2 2.9 -1.5 -2.7 -2.2 -1.8 -2.1 -2.5 -1.6
1984 -0.4 2.6 5.8 1.8 -1.1 -2.9 -5.0 -6.1 -5.0 -3.2 -2.4 -2.5
1985 -3.7 -4.6 -2.4 -0.1 1.2 2.6 4.2 4.3 2.7 1.0 1.8 3.0
1986 4.5 -0.2 -14.5 -25.4 -24.2 -22.2 -27.4 -30.5 -28.3 -29.8 -30.8 -30.7
1987 -26.1 -18.1 -6.0 6.5 3.5 2.2 11.1 20.3 17.5 19.7 21.0 18.6
1988 9.4 2.9 1.2 1.0 2.9 0.7 0.2 -0.1 -1.1 -1.8 -2.0 -1.8
1989 -0.1 2.6 5.2 16.3 18.9 18.3 14.9 8.2 6.9 8.8 6.9 6.5
1990 14.1 12.6 9.6 -1.2 -4.4 -1.7 -0.2 13.2 25.9 33.7 36.6 36.8
1991 19.2 10.1 5.7 5.4 8.4 6.3 4.0 -3.7 -10.7 -17.3 -16.6 -16.2
1992 -12.7 -6.6 -1.1 -1.1 -0.8 2.4 4.8 2.5 2.0 3.4 3.1 2.0
1993 4.5 5.5 4.2 3.6 0.2 -3.3 -4.8 -4.8 -5.8 -2.3 -4.3 -5.9
1994 -6.5 -4.9 -4.5 -4.0 -4.0 -1.7 2.4 7.4 8.0 2.5 4.9 6.4
1995 6.8 5.1 4.9 5.3 9.0 8.6 3.3 -3.0 -3.8 -3.6 -6.4 -4.2
1996 -0.2 0.1 4.0 9.0 8.7 4.4 4.9 5.0 6.0 7.3 11.6 12.4
1997 9.9 9.8 4.6 -2.6 -7.1 -5.0 -4.9 1.2 3.3 1.2 -2.8 -6.1
1998 -9.9 -12.9 -14.7 -13.6 -10.5 -10.5 -10.0 -15.2 -18.0 -15.2 -14.3 -15.4
1999 -13.1 -11.1 -5.0 10.2 7.0 4.6 9.3 17.7 22.6 21.2 21.9 30.1
2000 32.4 41.2 52.6 27.4 26.6 40.3 32.9 19.1 22.4 20.9 21.6 13.9
2001 12.4 8.1 -5.8 3.8 14.4 2.2 -7.8 -5.1 -2.7 -12.6 -21.5 -24.9
2002 -22.7 -23.0 -13.1 -9.0 -17.3 -15.4 -3.7 -0.2 -7.3 7.2 19.3 24.8
2003 29.3 43.1 37.6 15.8 8.1 8.4 8.1 14.5 21.0 9.8 5.5 6.8
2004 8.3 2.0 1.6 11.0 30.0 33.4 26.5 16.5 9.6 26.6 30.9 26.1
2005 14.3 14.7 16.8 24.2 10.3 6.9 19.5 31.3 54.8 37.0 16.1 16.1
2006 27.4 20.6 17.0 21.5 33.4 34.0 29.6 19.6 -11.9 -18.3 -4.2 6.4
2007 -2.7 -1.4 7.2 3.2 6.0 5.0 -1.1 -6.4 8.7 23.4 37.1 29.6
2008 34.5 32.7 26.0 20.7 20.8 32.8 37.9 35.6 31.7 12.0 -29.4 -43.1
2009 -40.4 -35.6 -39.3 -39.5 -39.4 -34.6 -37.3 -30.0 -29.7 -17.9 23.6 53.5
2010 51.3 36.8 41.4 38.3 27.0 3.9 7.4 4.4 5.1 9.5 7.3 13.8
2011 13.4 19.2 27.5 33.1 36.9 35.6 33.6 32.4 33.3 23.5 19.7 9.9
2012 9.7 12.6 9.0 3.2 -4.0 -4.3 -5.5 1.8 6.8 9.1 1.9 1.7
2013 -1.5 3.3 -3.1 -8.3 -4.1 2.8 5.2 -2.4 -7.5 -10.1 -5.8 -1.0
2014 0.1 -8.1 -4.7 2.4 2.3 2.0 0.8 -2.8 -3.6 -5.0 -10.5 -21.0
2015 -35.4 -32.8 -29.2 -31.7 -25.0 -23.3 -22.3 -23.3 -29.6 -27.8 -24.1 -19.7
2016 -7.3 -20.7 -20.9 -13.8 -16.9 -15.4 -19.9 -17.8 -6.5 -0.9 1.0 9.1
2017 20.3 30.7 19.9 14.3 5.8 -0.4 3.0 10.4 19.3 10.8 16.5 10.7
2018 8.5 12.6 11.1 13.4 21.8 24.3 25.4 20.3 9.1 16.1 5.0 -2.1
2019 -10.1 -9.1 -0.7 3.1 -0.2 -5.4 -3.3 -7.1 -8.2 -7.3 -1.2 7.9
2020 12.8 5.6 -10.2 -32.0 -33.8 -23.4 -20.3 -16.8 -15.4 -18.0 -19.3 -15.2
2021 -8.6 1.5 22.5 49.6 56.2 45.1 41.8 42.7 42.1 49.6 58.1 49.6
2022 40.0 38.0 48.0 43.6 48.7 59.9 44.0 25.6 18.2 17.5 10.1 -1.5
2023 1.5 -2.0 -17.4 -12.2 -19.7 -26.5 -19.9 -3.3 3.0 -5.3 -8.9 -1.9
2024 -6.4 -3.9 Avail.
April
10
                 

Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Gasoline (all types) in U.S. city average, all urban consumers, not seasonally adjusted. CPI-All Urban Consumers.

Table: Historical Gasoline Prices (1978-2024)

Finally, this table shows average gasoline prices (per gallon) in the United States as surveyed and reported by the BLS:

Year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Ave
1978 0.631 0.629 0.629 0.631 0.637 0.645 0.655 0.663 0.669 0.671 0.676 0.685 0.652
1979 0.695 0.707 0.733 0.780 0.823 0.880 0.930 0.967 0.998 1.006 1.019 1.042 0.882
1980 1.110 1.186 1.230 1.242 1.244 1.246 1.247 1.243 1.231 1.223 1.222 1.231 1.221
1981 1.269 1.353 1.388 1.381 1.370 1.362 1.353 1.348 1.358 1.353 1.351 1.348 1.353
1982 1.341 1.318 1.268 1.210 1.224 1.296 1.318 1.310 1.292 1.280 1.268 1.244 1.281
1983 1.214 1.170 1.135 1.198 1.243 1.261 1.272 1.269 1.257 1.239 1.224 1.215 1.225
1984 1.200 1.193 1.194 1.211 1.221 1.214 1.197 1.184 1.189 1.195 1.193 1.179 1.198
1985 1.145 1.128 1.155 1.199 1.223 1.233 1.233 1.222 1.209 1.198 1.201 1.203 1.196
1986 1.190 1.119 0.983 0.895 0.927 0.958 0.895 0.848 0.864 0.837 0.827 0.830 0.931
1987 0.868 0.911 0.918 0.940 0.948 0.966 0.980 1.004 1.000 0.988 0.987 0.975 0.957
1988 0.947 0.928 0.920 0.946 0.970 0.971 0.984 1.004 0.992 0.976 0.972 0.953 0.964
1989 0.944 0.955 0.974 1.098 1.152 1.150 1.132 1.096 1.073 1.071 1.046 1.030 1.060
1990 1.090 1.086 1.076 1.096 1.114 1.140 1.139 1.246 1.347 1.431 1.432 1.410 1.217
1991 1.304 1.198 1.138 1.159 1.209 1.214 1.185 1.196 1.199 1.180 1.193 1.182 1.196
1992 1.135 1.117 1.122 1.143 1.197 1.239 1.237 1.221 1.222 1.219 1.223 1.201 1.190
1993 1.182 1.172 1.163 1.175 1.193 1.194 1.174 1.163 1.151 1.193 1.178 1.136 1.173
1994 1.109 1.114 1.109 1.128 1.143 1.169 1.199 1.243 1.237 1.212 1.222 1.203 1.174
1995 1.190 1.181 1.173 1.197 1.256 1.281 1.252 1.222 1.206 1.185 1.161 1.160 1.205
1996 1.186 1.181 1.219 1.305 1.378 1.354 1.328 1.298 1.293 1.287 1.308 1.318 1.288
1997 1.318 1.312 1.293 1.288 1.284 1.286 1.263 1.310 1.334 1.300 1.271 1.236 1.291
1998 1.186 1.137 1.097 1.106 1.146 1.148 1.134 1.108 1.091 1.099 1.086 1.046 1.115
1999 1.031 1.014 1.048 1.232 1.233 1.204 1.244 1.309 1.334 1.329 1.319 1.353 1.221
2000 1.356 1.422 1.594 1.561 1.552 1.666 1.642 1.559 1.635 1.613 1.608 1.544 1.563
2001 1.525 1.538 1.503 1.617 1.812 1.731 1.565 1.509 1.609 1.442 1.324 1.200 1.531
2002 1.209 1.210 1.324 1.493 1.508 1.489 1.496 1.508 1.507 1.535 1.534 1.477 1.441
2003 1.557 1.686 1.791 1.704 1.587 1.558 1.567 1.671 1.771 1.646 1.578 1.538 1.638
2004 1.635 1.715 1.809 1.875 2.050 2.083 1.982 1.941 1.934 2.072 2.053 1.926 1.923
2005 1.866 1.960 2.107 2.325 2.257 2.218 2.357 2.548 2.969 2.830 2.387 2.230 2.338
2006 2.359 2.354 2.444 2.801 2.993 2.963 3.046 3.033 2.637 2.319 2.287 2.380 2.635
2007 2.321 2.333 2.639 2.909 3.176 3.100 3.013 2.833 2.839 2.843 3.118 3.069 2.849
2008 3.096 3.083 3.307 3.491 3.813 4.115 4.142 3.838 3.749 3.225 2.208 1.742 3.317
2009 1.838 1.979 2.000 2.107 2.314 2.681 2.594 2.677 2.626 2.613 2.709 2.671 2.401
2010 2.779 2.709 2.829 2.906 2.915 2.783 2.783 2.795 2.754 2.843 2.899 3.031 2.836
2011 3.139 3.215 3.594 3.863 3.982 3.753 3.703 3.680 3.664 3.521 3.475 3.329 3.577
2012 3.447 3.622 3.918 3.976 3.839 3.602 3.502 3.759 3.908 3.839 3.542 3.386 3.695
2013 3.407 3.748 3.792 3.647 3.682 3.693 3.687 3.658 3.616 3.434 3.310 3.333 3.584
2014 3.378 3.422 3.590 3.717 3.745 3.750 3.690 3.540 3.463 3.241 2.945 2.618 3.425
2015 2.170 2.308 2.544 2.545 2.832 2.889 2.893 2.745 2.463 2.357 2.249 2.125 2.510
2016 2.034 1.833 2.021 2.196 2.324 2.422 2.287 2.218 2.269 2.304 2.246 2.289 2.204
2017 2.409 2.360 2.386 2.479 2.448 2.400 2.344 2.436 2.688 2.545 2.608 2.521 2.469
2018 2.596 2.632 2.631 2.795 2.963 2.970 2.930 2.919 2.930 2.945 2.733 2.479 2.794
2019 2.352 2.412 2.620 2.894 2.963 2.814 2.836 2.716 2.694 2.741 2.687 2.652 2.698
2020 2.631 2.530 2.334 1.946 1.946 2.141 2.243 2.245 2.260 2.228 2.159 2.235 2.242
2021 2.391 2.559 2.856 2.907 3.041 3.245 3.326 3.351 3.361 3.477 3.576 3.505 3.133
2022 3.500 3.675 4.401 4.369 4.695 5.149 4.768 4.205 3.990 4.130 3.958 3.459 4.192
2023 3.555 3.622 3.660 3.839 3.794 3.821 3.842 4.064 4.107 3.910 3.623 3.411 3.771
2024 3.353 3.486 Avail.
April
10
                   

Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Gasoline, all types, per gallon/3.785 liters in U.S. city average, average price, not seasonally adjusted.