In 2020, gas averaged $2.17 nationally — $2.70 in today’s money
regular, at the pump in 2020
inflation-adjusted (CPI-U)
The average U.S. price of a gallon of regular gasoline across 2020, shown both as it was at the pump and adjusted for inflation to constant 2025 dollars.
How 2020 ranks in the 1970–2025 record
The 40th-most-expensive year on record — the 17th-cheapest of 56 years.
The 20th-highest pump price on record — before adjusting for inflation.
How U.S. prices moved through 2020
Weekly U.S. average for regular gasoline. The year’s high was $2.58 the week of January 6, 2020; the low was $1.77 the week of April 27, 2020 — a swing of 45.4%.
2020 vs. the years on either side
2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic and its collapse in fuel demand
2020 coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic and its collapse in fuel demand. The U.S. weekly average for regular gasoline ran from a low of $1.77 (April 27, 2020) to a high of $2.58 (January 6, 2020). Adjusted for inflation, the year’s average of $2.70 ranks 40th-highest in the 1970–2025 record, against the all-time adjusted peak of $5.08 in 2012.
U.S. gas prices in 2020, answered
- What was the average price of gas in 2020?
- The U.S. average price of regular gasoline in 2020 was $2.17 per gallon — about $2.70 in 2025 dollars after adjusting for inflation, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data.
- How does 2020 rank for gas prices in U.S. history?
- Adjusted for inflation, 2020 was the 40th-most-expensive year for regular gasoline out of the 56 years on record (1970–2025). In raw at-the-pump dollars it ranks 20th.
- Were gas prices higher in 2020 than in 2019?
- Adjusted for inflation, regular gasoline was cheaper in 2020 than in 2019, down 17.6% year over year ($3.27 → $2.70 in 2025 dollars).
- How high did gas prices get during 2020?
- The U.S. weekly average for regular gasoline peaked at $2.58 the week of January 6, 2020 and bottomed at $1.77 the week of April 27, 2020 during 2020.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration. 2020 is the average of EIA’s twelve monthly U.S. regular (all-formulations) retail prices; the weekly figures above are EIA’s weekly U.S. retail series. Inflation adjustment uses the BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), constant 2025 dollars.