The Cheapest & Most Expensive Gas in the U.S.

Averaging this week’s state prices by U.S. Census region, the South is the cheapest at about $4.02, and the West the most expensive at about $5.12.

Every state and the District of Columbia on a uniform current-week basis. live = reported weekly to the EIA; est. = estimated from the state’s latest annual average (2024, EIA SEDS) carried forward by its region’s weekly move.

Which state has the cheapest gas right now?

For the week of October 5, 2026, the lowest average price for regular gasoline is in Georgia ($3.72, est.) and South Carolina ($3.77, est.), which are within the estimates' error of each other. Nine states are EIA weekly averages; the other 42 are US Gas Gauge estimates from EIA regional weekly prices, which have been off by 9.8¢ on average where they can be checked.

Which state has the most expensive gas?

The highest average price this week is in Hawaii ($6.34, est.) and Alaska ($6.34, est.), which are within the estimates' error of each other, about $2.63 a gallon more than the cheapest state. California, Hawaii and Washington are usually at or near the top.

How big is the gap between the cheapest and most expensive states?

This week the spread between the cheapest state, Georgia ($3.72, est.), and the most expensive, Hawaii ($6.34, est.), is about $2.63 a gallon — roughly 60% of the national average.

Why is gas more expensive in some states?

The U.S. EIA attributes retail gas prices to four components — the cost of crude oil, refining, distribution and marketing, and taxes. The states at the top of the list tend to combine higher fuel taxes with special, costlier-to-make clean-air gasoline blends. California is the clearest case, with its own year-round blend and high taxes; the structural reasons are covered in our California explainer.