Gas & Diesel Prices by State (2026): Full 50-State Table
Pump prices eased heading into November but stay high. The U.S. average for regular gas is $4.17 a gallon and diesel averages about $6.29 as of November 2, 2026[1] — but what you actually pay swings by more than $2 depending on your state, from about $3.38 in North Carolina to $5.91 in California. Below is the full, up-to-date ranking for all 50 states plus DC, what it costs to fill your tank, and why prices are this high. More in our Personal Finance Statistics Hub →
Key Takeaways
- The national average for regular gasoline is about $4.17 per gallon as of November 2, 2026, according to AAA. Diesel is far higher, averaging around $6.29 per gallon nationally.
- California has the highest gas prices at about $5.91 per gallon for regular and $8.34 for diesel, driven by the nation's highest fuel taxes, a special low-emission gasoline blend, and limited refinery capacity.
- North Carolina has the cheapest regular gas at about $3.38 per gallon, followed by Georgia ($3.58), Texas ($3.65), South Carolina ($3.65), and Louisiana ($3.70).
- At the national average, filling up costs about $50 for a compact car (12 gallons), $58 for a midsize sedan (14 gallons), and $75 for an SUV or minivan (18 gallons).
Highest and lowest gas prices by state
California tops the list at $5.91 a gallon — about 75% higher than North Carolina at the bottom. The five priciest states are all in the West, where state fuel taxes, cleaner-fuel requirements, and tight refinery capacity pile on; the cheapest cluster across the South, closer to Gulf Coast refineries.[1]
What it costs to fill up in 2026
At the national average, a routine fill-up now takes a real bite out of a weekly budget. Here is the average cost to fill an empty tank at $4.17 a gallon for gas (and $6.29 for the diesel pickup):[1]
Tank sizes are typical estimates: compact ~12 gal, midsize sedan ~14 gal, SUV/minivan ~18 gal, full-size pickup ~26 gal. Fill-up cost = tank size × the national average price.
Gas & diesel prices by state — all 50 states + DC
Every state ranked by regular gas price, with diesel and the cost to fill a 14-gallon tank. Figures are AAA daily averages as of November 2, 2026.[1]
| # | State | Regular | Diesel | Fill-up (14 gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $5.91 | $8.34 | $83 |
| 2 | Hawaii | $5.66 | $7.22 | $79 |
| 3 | Nevada | $5.24 | $6.82 | $73 |
| 4 | Washington | $5.19 | $7.25 | $73 |
| 5 | Oregon | $4.79 | $6.71 | $67 |
| 6 | Alaska | $4.76 | $6.44 | $67 |
| 7 | Illinois | $4.71 | $6.62 | $66 |
| 8 | Utah | $4.53 | $6.47 | $63 |
| 9 | Idaho | $4.53 | $6.53 | $63 |
| 10 | Michigan | $4.52 | $6.66 | $63 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $4.43 | $6.59 | $62 |
| 12 | Arizona | $4.42 | $6.29 | $62 |
| 13 | New York | $4.34 | $6.49 | $61 |
| 14 | Vermont | $4.32 | $6.36 | $60 |
| 15 | Wyoming | $4.30 | $6.35 | $60 |
| 16 | Montana | $4.30 | $6.16 | $60 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $4.29 | $6.52 | $60 |
| 18 | Maine | $4.25 | $6.40 | $60 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $4.25 | $6.41 | $59 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $4.23 | $6.31 | $59 |
| 21 | Colorado | $4.20 | $6.38 | $59 |
| 22 | Massachusetts | $4.18 | $6.31 | $59 |
| 23 | Nebraska | $4.16 | $6.11 | $58 |
| 24 | New Hampshire | $4.16 | $6.34 | $58 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $4.16 | $6.37 | $58 |
| 26 | New Jersey | $4.13 | $6.37 | $58 |
| 27 | Ohio | $4.13 | $6.44 | $58 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | $4.12 | $6.30 | $58 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $4.09 | $6.01 | $57 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $4.09 | $6.01 | $57 |
| 31 | Minnesota | $4.07 | $6.16 | $57 |
| 32 | North Dakota | $4.02 | $6.06 | $56 |
| 33 | Iowa | $4.01 | $6.06 | $56 |
| 34 | Maryland | $3.99 | $6.32 | $56 |
| 35 | Virginia | $3.96 | $6.22 | $55 |
| 36 | Delaware | $3.95 | $6.31 | $55 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $3.89 | $6.11 | $55 |
| 38 | Kansas | $3.88 | $6.00 | $54 |
| 39 | Florida | $3.86 | $5.98 | $54 |
| 40 | Missouri | $3.83 | $6.05 | $54 |
| 41 | Indiana | $3.81 | $6.76 | $53 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $3.80 | $5.85 | $53 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $3.77 | $5.82 | $53 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $3.76 | $5.87 | $53 |
| 45 | Alabama | $3.73 | $5.85 | $52 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $3.71 | $5.92 | $52 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $3.70 | $5.75 | $52 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $3.65 | $5.73 | $51 |
| 49 | Texas | $3.65 | $5.74 | $51 |
| 50 | Georgia | $3.58 | $5.66 | $50 |
| 51 | North Carolina | $3.38 | $5.49 | $47 |
Source: AAA State Gas Price Averages, retrieved November 2, 2026.[1] Prices update daily and will differ by the time you read this; use the AAA and EIA links in Sources for the latest.
Why diesel costs $2 more than gas
Diesel drivers are getting hit hardest: the national average sits near $6.29, roughly $2 above regular gas, and it topped an all-time high earlier this fall.[2] Several forces stack up: diesel carries a higher federal excise tax, winter heating-oil demand competes for the same distillate supply, refinery capacity for diesel is tight, and inventories have run low. Because diesel powers nearly all trucking, rail, and farm equipment, expensive diesel quietly raises the price of almost everything you buy — from groceries to Amazon deliveries.
Why are gas prices so high in 2026?
The biggest single factor is the price of crude oil, which typically accounts for over half of what you pay at the pump and has stayed elevated through 2026.[2] On top of crude, four things push prices up:
- State taxes. California levies over 70 cents a gallon in taxes and fees; low-tax states like Texas and Mississippi keep pump prices far lower.[1]
- Special fuel blends. California and a few other states require cleaner, costlier gasoline formulations that most refineries can't produce.
- Refinery capacity & outages. A single refinery going offline in a supply-constrained region (the West Coast especially) can spike local prices overnight.
- Global demand. Crude is a world commodity, so a supply threat anywhere can lift prices everywhere within days.
📊 The bottom line
Where you live can cost you over $35 more per fill-up for the exact same gallon of fuel. You can't control crude oil, but you can control the rest: a North Carolina driver pays about $47 to fill a sedan while a Californian pays $83. If gas is straining your budget, the highest-leverage moves are cutting trips, keeping tires properly inflated, using a fuel-rewards or cash-back card, and apps that find the cheapest station nearby — small habits that add up to hundreds a year.
How to spend less at the pump
- Use a gas-finder app (GasBuddy, Waze, AAA) — prices vary 20–40 cents between stations a mile apart.
- Pay with a cash-back or fuel-rewards card that gives 3–5% back on gas.
- Keep tires inflated and slow down — under-inflated tires and speeding both cut fuel economy noticeably.
- Buy on the cheapest days and avoid highway and airport stations, which charge a premium.
- Track it in a budget so a rising fuel bill doesn't quietly blow up your monthly spending.
Keep rising costs from wrecking your budget
Fuel, groceries, insurance — everything's up. A budgeting app helps you see it coming and free up cash.
Best Budgeting Apps → The Cost of Being AliveFrequently Asked Questions
About $4.17 per gallon for regular as of November 2, 2026 (AAA). Diesel averages around $6.29. Prices eased in late October but stay well above a year ago.
California at about $5.91 regular ($8.34 diesel), due to the highest fuel taxes, a special clean-fuel blend, and limited refining. Hawaii, Nevada, Washington, and Oregon follow.
North Carolina at about $3.38, then Georgia ($3.58), Texas ($3.65), South Carolina ($3.65), and Louisiana ($3.70). Southern states tax fuel lightly and sit near Gulf refineries.
At the national average: about $50 for a compact (12 gal), $58 for a sedan (14 gal), $75 for an SUV (18 gal), and about $164 for a diesel pickup (26 gal at $6.29).
Diesel runs ~$2 above gas in 2026 due to a higher federal tax, competing heating-oil demand, tight refining capacity, and low inventories. It also raises freight costs, pushing up other prices.
Mostly elevated crude oil, which is over half the pump price. State taxes, special blends, refinery outages, and global demand add the rest. Crude is a world commodity, so prices move fast.
Sources & citations
- AAA — State Gas Price Averages (regular, mid-grade, premium, and diesel by state; national average). Retrieved November 2, 2026.
- U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) — Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update (weekly national and regional retail prices, crude-oil share of pump price). Retrieved September 2026.
- AAA Gas Prices Newsroom — "Pump Prices Keep Climbing as Crude Oil Remains High" (2026).