Gas in California averaged $4.01 in 2021 — $4.76 in today’s money
Average, that year
$4.01
In 2025 dollars
$4.76
The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in California across 2021, shown both as it was at the pump and adjusted for inflation to constant 2025 dollars (CPI-U).
Across the year
How California prices moved through 2021
Weekly average for regular gasoline. The year’s high was $4.55 the week of November 29, 2021; the low was $3.10 the week of January 4, 2021 — a swing of 46.9%.
View the weekly data (52 weeks)
| Week of | Nominal | 2025 $ |
|---|---|---|
| January 4, 2021 | $3.10 | $3.80 |
| January 11, 2021 | $3.15 | $3.85 |
| January 18, 2021 | $3.21 | $3.94 |
| January 25, 2021 | $3.25 | $3.98 |
| February 1, 2021 | $3.27 | $4.00 |
| February 8, 2021 | $3.32 | $4.05 |
| February 15, 2021 | $3.35 | $4.09 |
| February 22, 2021 | $3.45 | $4.22 |
| March 1, 2021 | $3.56 | $4.33 |
| March 8, 2021 | $3.64 | $4.42 |
| March 15, 2021 | $3.73 | $4.53 |
| March 22, 2021 | $3.76 | $4.57 |
| March 29, 2021 | $3.77 | $4.58 |
| April 5, 2021 | $3.79 | $4.57 |
| April 12, 2021 | $3.80 | $4.59 |
| April 19, 2021 | $3.83 | $4.63 |
| April 26, 2021 | $3.86 | $4.66 |
| May 3, 2021 | $3.91 | $4.69 |
| May 10, 2021 | $3.95 | $4.74 |
| May 17, 2021 | $3.98 | $4.78 |
| May 24, 2021 | $4.01 | $4.82 |
| May 31, 2021 | $4.06 | $4.87 |
| June 7, 2021 | $4.08 | $4.85 |
| June 14, 2021 | $4.09 | $4.86 |
| June 21, 2021 | $4.09 | $4.86 |
| June 28, 2021 | $4.13 | $4.91 |
| July 5, 2021 | $4.14 | $4.90 |
| July 12, 2021 | $4.17 | $4.93 |
| July 19, 2021 | $4.18 | $4.95 |
| July 26, 2021 | $4.17 | $4.94 |
| August 2, 2021 | $4.21 | $4.97 |
| August 9, 2021 | $4.23 | $5.00 |
| August 16, 2021 | $4.26 | $5.03 |
| August 23, 2021 | $4.23 | $5.00 |
| August 30, 2021 | $4.23 | $4.99 |
| September 6, 2021 | $4.23 | $4.97 |
| September 13, 2021 | $4.22 | $4.97 |
| September 20, 2021 | $4.22 | $4.96 |
| September 27, 2021 | $4.22 | $4.96 |
| October 4, 2021 | $4.24 | $4.94 |
| October 11, 2021 | $4.27 | $4.97 |
| October 18, 2021 | $4.34 | $5.05 |
| October 25, 2021 | $4.39 | $5.11 |
| November 1, 2021 | $4.44 | $5.12 |
| November 8, 2021 | $4.47 | $5.16 |
| November 15, 2021 | $4.53 | $5.23 |
| November 22, 2021 | $4.55 | $5.25 |
| November 29, 2021 | $4.55 | $5.26 |
| December 6, 2021 | $4.53 | $5.19 |
| December 13, 2021 | $4.51 | $5.17 |
| December 20, 2021 | $4.50 | $5.16 |
| December 27, 2021 | $4.49 | $5.14 |
Year over year
How 2021 compares, adjusted for inflation
2021 was California’s 10th-most-expensive year for gas on record, adjusted for inflation — equivalently, the 18th-cheapest of 27 years (2000–2026).
Every grade
California fuel prices by grade in 2021
Year-average price per grade, including diesel. Premium figures are the spread drivers paid for higher-octane fuel that year.
| Grade | Avg / gal | 2025 $ | vs. regular |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular | $4.01 | $4.76 | — |
| Midgrade | $4.26 | $5.05 | +24.5¢ |
| Premium | $4.36 | $5.18 | +35.1¢ |
| Diesel | $4.16 | $4.94 | +15.2¢ |
Common questions
California gas prices in 2021, answered
- What was the average price of gas in California in 2021?
- The average price of regular gasoline in California in 2021 was $4.01 per gallon — about $4.76 in 2025 dollars after adjusting for inflation, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration weekly data.
- How high did gas prices get in California during 2021?
- California's weekly average for regular gasoline peaked at $4.55 the week of November 29, 2021 and bottomed out at $3.10 the week of January 4, 2021 — a swing of 46.9% across the year.
- Were gas prices in California higher in 2021 than in 2020?
- Adjusted for inflation, regular gasoline in California was more expensive in 2021 than in 2020, up 25.5% year over year.
- How does 2021 rank for gas prices in California history?
- Adjusted for inflation, 2021 was the 10th-most-expensive year for regular gasoline in California out of the 27 years EIA has published weekly prices (2000–2026).