Gas prices: frequently asked questions
Why don't you show prices at individual gas stations?
Because there's no open, official source for station-level prices in the U.S. Apps that show them rely on commercial data or user reports that can't be republished. Everything on this site comes from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, a federal agency whose data is public domain.
How often are the prices updated?
Weekly. The EIA collects retail prices on Mondays and publishes them the same day, and we refresh the site as soon as the new numbers are out. The wholesale market signal is refreshed daily, with the few days of delay the EIA's spot data carries.
Why does my state show a regional price?
The EIA publishes separate weekly averages for only nine states: California, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Texas and Washington. For every other state, the most precise official figure is the average of the region it belongs to, and we say so on the page.
What's included in the gas tax figures?
State excise taxes plus other statewide taxes and fees, such as environmental or inspection fees, as compiled by the EIA twice a year. They don't include county or local taxes, or general sales taxes, which some states and cities add on top.
How much is the federal gas tax?
18.4 cents a gallon for gasoline and 24.4 cents for diesel, including a 0.1-cent fee for leaking underground storage tanks. Congress last raised it in 1993.
Why is diesel more expensive than regular?
Several things add up: diesel pays a higher federal tax, it competes with heating oil and trucking demand for the same refinery output, and ultra-low-sulfur rules make it costlier to produce. How big the gap is changes with the season and the market.
Can you tell me if prices will go down next week?
No one can promise that honestly. What we publish is the wholesale trend, which usually shows up at the pump with a lag, and we give the exact dates it covers so you can judge it yourself.
What are PADD regions?
Petroleum Administration for Defense Districts. They were drawn during World War II to organize fuel supplies, and the government still uses them to report fuel data: the East Coast (split into three subregions), the Midwest, the Gulf Coast, the Rocky Mountain states and the West Coast.