Gas Inflation by Year, 1935–2023: CPI Calculator

Gas Inflation Calculator

Prices for Gas, 1935-2023 ($3.07)

Gas prices were 2,265.79% higher in 2023 versus 1935 (a $69.56 difference in value).

The latest available average price is $4.48 in September 2026 for Gasoline, unleaded regular, per gallon/3.785 liters. See observed price history.

Between 1935 and 2023, Gas experienced an average inflation rate of 3.66% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, gas costing $3.07 in the year 1935 would cost $72.63 in 2023 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.59% during this same period, inflation for gas was higher.

Price Inflation for Gasoline (all types) since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1980 (38.98%), 2021 (36%), and 1974 (35.36%).

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average price of gas rose 630%, from $0.61 per gallon in 1976 to $4.48 in September 2026. Overall prices rose 492% over the same period, so gas rose faster than inflation. This data is collected by a national survey and can vary from region to region.

● Price● Price, inflation-adjusted

Gas prices by year

The average price for gas is calculated from a weighted average of retailer data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The table below shows the average U.S. price of gasoline, unleaded regular, per gallon/3.785 liters each year, along with the same price adjusted for inflation. To understand how price levels differ from inflation rates, see this article published by the BLS.

Year	Price (per gallon)	Price, inflation-adjusted
2026 (partial)	$3.97	$3.97
2025	$3.26	$3.41
2024	$3.45	$3.71
2023	$3.66	$4.04
2022	$4.09	$4.71
2021	$3.05	$3.79
2020	$2.17	$2.83
2019	$2.64	$3.47
2018	$2.74	$3.67
2017	$2.41	$3.31
2016	$2.14	$3.01
2015	$2.45	$3.48
2014	$3.37	$4.79
2013	$3.53	$5.10
2012	$3.64	$5.35
2011	$3.53	$5.28
2010	$2.79	$4.31
2009	$2.35	$3.69
2008	$3.27	$5.11
2007	$2.80	$4.55
2006	$2.59	$4.33
2005	$2.30	$3.96
2004	$1.88	$3.35
2003	$1.59	$2.91
2002	$1.36	$2.54
2001	$1.46	$2.78
2000	$1.51	$2.95
1999	$1.17	$2.36
1998	$1.06	$2.19
1997	$1.23	$2.59
1996	$1.23	$2.64
1995	$1.15	$2.54
1994	$1.11	$2.53
1993	$1.11	$2.58
1992	$1.13	$2.71
1991	$1.14	$2.82
1990	$1.16	$3.00
1989	$1.02	$2.78
1988	$0.95	$2.69
1987	$0.95	$2.81
1986	$0.93	$2.85
1985	$1.20	$3.76
1984	$1.21	$3.93
1983	$1.24	$4.20
1982	$1.30	$4.52
1981	$1.38	$5.11
1980	$1.25	$5.09
1979	$0.90	$4.19
1978	$0.67	$3.46
1977	$0.66	$3.65
1976	$0.61	$3.64

Yearly averages; 2026 is through September. Inflation-adjusted to 2026 dollars.

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Buying power of $3.07 since 1935

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Gas, over time, for $3.07 beginning in 1935. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

Year	USD Value	Inflation Rate
1935	$3.07	-
1936	$3.16	2.89%
1937	$3.31	4.86%
1938	$3.23	-2.46%
1939	$3.02	-6.55%
1940	$2.97	-1.54%
1941	$3.11	4.51%
1942	$3.29	5.88%
1943	$3.32	1.00%
1944	$3.33	0.35%
1945	$3.32	-0.35%
1946	$3.38	1.81%
1947	$3.80	12.23%
1948	$4.30	13.41%
1949	$4.45	3.43%
1950	$4.41	-0.92%
1951	$4.54	2.82%
1952	$4.67	2.96%
1953	$4.90	5.03%
1954	$5.08	3.49%
1955	$5.13	1.15%
1956	$5.32	3.67%
1957	$5.54	4.12%
1958	$5.46	-1.40%
1959	$5.53	1.24%
1960	$5.69	2.84%
1961	$5.63	-1.02%
1962	$5.66	0.55%
1963	$5.65	-0.14%
1964	$5.63	-0.45%
1965	$5.79	2.83%
1966	$5.95	2.85%
1967	$6.16	3.43%
1968	$6.25	1.42%
1969	$6.45	3.33%
1970	$6.51	0.84%
1971	$6.54	0.54%
1972	$6.63	1.28%
1973	$7.27	9.76%
1974	$9.84	35.36%
1975	$10.52	6.83%
1976	$10.95	4.16%
1977	$11.59	5.78%
1978	$12.09	4.31%
1979	$16.36	35.33%
1980	$22.73	38.98%
1981	$25.30	11.30%
1982	$23.97	-5.27%
1983	$23.17	-3.32%
1984	$22.79	-1.64%
1985	$22.98	0.84%
1986	$17.95	-21.91%
1987	$18.68	4.07%
1988	$18.83	0.84%
1989	$20.62	9.49%
1990	$23.54	14.14%
1991	$23.13	-1.72%
1992	$23.07	-0.27%
1993	$22.78	-1.25%
1994	$22.89	0.46%
1995	$23.26	1.64%
1996	$24.68	6.09%
1997	$24.65	-0.10%
1998	$21.36	-13.36%
1999	$23.34	9.28%
2000	$29.97	28.40%
2001	$28.90	-3.58%
2002	$27.04	-6.42%
2003	$31.50	16.48%
2004	$37.22	18.16%
2005	$45.38	21.93%
2006	$51.27	12.97%
2007	$55.47	8.19%
2008	$64.68	16.60%
2009	$46.98	-27.36%
2010	$55.62	18.38%
2011	$70.33	26.45%
2012	$72.61	3.24%
2013	$70.53	-2.86%
2014	$67.81	-3.86%
2015	$49.42	-27.12%
2016	$43.73	-11.51%
2017	$49.36	12.88%
2018	$56.08	13.61%
2019	$54.08	-3.57%
2020	$45.25	-16.32%
2021	$61.54	36.00%
2022	$81.06	31.71%
2023	$72.63	-10.40%
2024	$68.94	-5.09%
2025	$64.98	-5.73%
2026	$79.30	22.03%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.

Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Gasoline (all types):

Year	1935	1936	1937	1938	1939	1940	1941	1942	1943	1944	1945	1946	1947	1948	1949	1950	1951	1952	1953	1954	1955	1956	1957	1958	1959	1960	1961	1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
CPI	13.170	13.550	14.208	13.858	12.950	12.750	13.325	14.108	14.250	14.300	14.250	14.508	16.283	18.467	19.100	18.925	19.458	20.033	21.042	21.775	22.025	22.833	23.775	23.442	23.733	24.408	24.158	24.292	24.258	24.150	24.833	25.542	26.417	26.792	27.683	27.917	28.067	28.425	31.200	42.233	45.117	46.992	49.708	51.850	70.167	97.517	108.533	102.808	99.400	97.767	98.592	76.992	80.125	80.800	88.467	100.975	99.242	98.975	97.733	98.183	99.792	105.867	105.758	91.633	100.133	128.567	123.967	116.008	135.125	159.667	194.683	219.942	237.959	277.457	201.555	238.594	301.694	311.470	302.577	290.889	212.007	187.602	211.769	240.598	232.003	194.130	264.017	347.747	311.574	295.730	278.773	340.197

Adjust gas prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2023 / CPI in 1935* 1935 USD value = 2023 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Gasoline (all types) was 13.170 in the year 1935 and 311.574 in 2023:

311.574 / 13.170* $3.07 = $72.63

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $3.07 in 1935 has the same "purchasing power" as $72.63 in 2023 (in the CPI category of Gasoline (all types)).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Gasoline (all types) in 1935. In addition to gas, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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