The Cost of Gas the Year You Were Born

The price of gas is all over the news right now. As of March 10, the average price of unleaded gas is just over $3.50 per gallon — the highest since 2024. The jump is due to major disruptions from the U.S.-Iran war, and there is little indication of when prices might come down again.

Want to reminisce about how cheap gas used to be? Using data from the Department of Energy, Cheapism determined the average cost of a gallon of gas every year from 1940 through today, showing the price in 2026 dollars. (Prices are for regular leaded through 1990, then for regular unleaded.) Despite little ups and downs, significant swings in gas prices are relatively rare.

1940

• Price per gallon: 18 cents
• Adjusted for inflation: $4.21

1941

• Price per gallon: 19 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $4.38

1942

• Price per gallon: 20 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $4.14

1943

• Price per gallon: 21 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $4.04

1944

• Price per gallon: 21 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.92

1945

• Price per gallon: 21 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.83

1946

• Price per gallon: 21 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.75

1947

• Price per gallon: 23 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.47

1948

• Price per gallon: 26 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.56

1949

• Price per gallon: 27 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.65

1950

• Price per gallon: 27 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.73

1951

• Price per gallon: 27 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.45

1952

• Price per gallon: 27 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.31

1953

• Price per gallon: 29 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.54

1954

• Price per gallon: 29 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.50

1955

• Price per gallon: 29 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.53

1956

• Price per gallon: 30 cents
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.64

1957

• Price per gallon: 31 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.65

1958

• Price per gallon: 30 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.41

1959

• Price per gallon: 31 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.47

1960

• Price per gallon: 31 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.44

1961

• Price per gallon: 31 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.38

1962

• Price per gallon: 31 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.36

1963

• Price per gallon: 30 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.21

1964

• Price per gallon: 30 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.15

1965

• Price per gallon: 31 cents
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.23

1966

• Price per gallon: 32 cents
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.27

1967

• Price per gallon: 33 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.26

1968

• Price per gallon: 34 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.24

1969

• Price per gallon: 35 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.19

1970

• Price per gallon: 36 cents
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.09

1971

• Price per gallon: 36 cents
• Adjusted for inflation: $2.94

1972

• Price per gallon: 36 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $2.84

1973

• Price per gallon: 39 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $2.97

1974

• Price per gallon: 53 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.69

1975

• Price per gallon: 57 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.55

1976

• Price per gallon: 59 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.45

1977

• Price per gallon: 62 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.44

1978

• Price per gallon: 63 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.27

1979

• Price per gallon: 86 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $4.09

1980

• Price per gallon: $1.19 
• Adjusted for inflation: $4.97

1981

• Price per gallon: $1.31 
• Adjusted for inflation: $4.89

1982

• Price per gallon: $1.22 
• Adjusted for inflation: $4.20

1983

• Price per gallon: $1.16 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.85

1984

• Price per gallon: $1.13 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.60

1985

• Price per gallon: $1.12 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.45

1986

• Price per gallon: 86 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $2.55

1987

• Price per gallon: 90 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $2.63

1988

• Price per gallon: 90 cents 
• Adjusted for inflation: $2.53

1989

• Price per gallon: $1 
• Adjusted for inflation: $2.39

1990

• Price per gallon: $1.15 
• Adjusted for inflation: $2.93

1991

• Price per gallon: $1.14 
• Adjusted for inflation: $2.75

1992

• Price per gallon: $1.13 
• Adjusted for inflation: $2.66

1993

• Price per gallon: $1.11
• Adjusted for inflation: $2.53

1994

• Price per gallon: $1.11 
• Adjusted for inflation: $2.47

1995

• Price per gallon: $1.15 
• Adjusted for inflation: $2.49

1996

• Price per gallon: $1.23 
• Adjusted for inflation: $2.59

1997

• Price per gallon: $1.23 
• Adjusted for inflation: $2.51

1998

• Price per gallon: $1.06 
• Adjusted for inflation: $2.13

1999

• Price per gallon: $1.17 
• Adjusted for inflation: $2.31

2000

• Price per gallon: $1.51 
• Adjusted for inflation: $2.91

2001

• Price per gallon: $1.46 
• Adjusted for inflation: $2.71

2002

• Price per gallon: $1.36 
• Adjusted for inflation: $2.49

2003

• Price per gallon: $1.59 
• Adjusted for inflation: $2.84

2004

• Price per gallon: $1.88 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.30

2005

• Price per gallon: $2.30 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.92

2006

• Price per gallon: $2.59 
• Adjusted for inflation: $4.24

2007

• Price per gallon: $2.80 
• Adjusted for inflation: $4.49

2008

• Price per gallon: $3.27 
• Adjusted for inflation: $5.03

2009

• Price per gallon: $2.35 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.61

2010

• Price per gallon: $2.79 
• Adjusted for inflation: $4.18

2011

• Price per gallon: $3.53 
• Adjusted for inflation: $5.21

2012

• Price per gallon: $3.64 
• Adjusted for inflation: $5.22

2013

• Price per gallon: $3.53 
• Adjusted for inflation: $4.98

2014

• Price per gallon: $3.37 
• Adjusted for inflation: $4.68

2015

• Price per gallon: $2.45 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.40

2016

• Price per gallon: $2.14 
• Adjusted for inflation: $2.93

2017

• Price per gallon: $2.42 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.24

2018

• Price per gallon: $2.72 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.56

2019

• Price per gallon: $2.60 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.35

2020

• Price per gallon: $2.18 
• Adjusted for inflation: $2.74

2021

• Price per gallon: $3.01 
• Adjusted for inflation: $3.74

2022

• Price per gallon: $3.95
• Adjusted for inflation: $4.56

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