In 2021, gas averaged $3.00 nationally — $3.57 in today’s money
regular, at the pump in 2021
inflation-adjusted (CPI-U)
The average U.S. price of a gallon of regular gasoline across 2021, shown both as it was at the pump and adjusted for inflation to constant 2025 dollars.
How 2021 ranks in the 1970–2025 record
The 16th-most-expensive year on record — the 41st-cheapest of 56 years.
The 10th-highest pump price on record — before adjusting for inflation.
How U.S. prices moved through 2021
Weekly U.S. average for regular gasoline. The year’s high was $3.41 the week of November 8, 2021; the low was $2.25 the week of January 4, 2021 — a swing of 51.6%.
2021 vs. the years on either side
U.S. gas prices in 2021, answered
- What was the average price of gas in 2021?
- The U.S. average price of regular gasoline in 2021 was $3.00 per gallon — about $3.57 in 2025 dollars after adjusting for inflation, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data.
- How does 2021 rank for gas prices in U.S. history?
- Adjusted for inflation, 2021 was the 16th-most-expensive year for regular gasoline out of the 56 years on record (1970–2025). In raw at-the-pump dollars it ranks 10th.
- Were gas prices higher in 2021 than in 2020?
- Adjusted for inflation, regular gasoline was more expensive in 2021 than in 2020, up 32.2% year over year ($2.70 → $3.57 in 2025 dollars).
- How high did gas prices get during 2021?
- The U.S. weekly average for regular gasoline peaked at $3.41 the week of November 8, 2021 and bottomed at $2.25 the week of January 4, 2021 during 2021.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration. 2021 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.