Databases

What was the cost of gas the year you were born? Compare the last century here

With gas prices seemingly climbing ever higher, many people may be longing for the $0.16 per gallon Americans paid 80 years ago.

Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, we found the average price of gas every year since 1935.

The data is a combination of observed price averages and estimates based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

1935

Gasoline Price: $0.16

Change from the previous year: N/A

1936

Gasoline Price: $0.16

Change from the previous year: $0.00

1937

Gasoline Price: $0.17

Change from the previous year: $0.01

1938

Gasoline Price: $0.16

Change from the previous year: $-0.01

1939

Gasoline Price: $0.15

Change from the previous year: $-0.01

1940

Gasoline Price: $0.15

Change from the previous year: $0.00

1941

Gasoline Price: $0.16

Change from the previous year: $0.01

1942

Gasoline Price: $0.17

Change from the previous year: $0.01

1943

Gasoline Price: $0.17

Change from the previous year: $0.00

1944

Gasoline Price: $0.17

Change from the previous year: $0.00

1945

Gasoline Price: $0.17

Change from the previous year: $0.00

1946

Gasoline Price: $0.17

Change from the previous year: $0.00

1947

Gasoline Price: $0.19

Change from the previous year: $0.02

1948

Gasoline Price: $0.22

Change from the previous year: $0.03

1949

Gasoline Price: $0.23

Change from the previous year: $0.01

1950

Gasoline Price: $0.22

Change from the previous year: $-0.01

1951

Gasoline Price: $0.23

Change from the previous year: $0.01

1952

Gasoline Price: $0.24

Change from the previous year: $0.01

1953

Gasoline Price: $0.25

Change from the previous year: $0.01

1954

Gasoline Price: $0.26

Change from the previous year: $0.01

1955

Gasoline Price: $0.26

Change from the previous year: $0.00

1956

Gasoline Price: $0.27

Change from the previous year: $0.01

1957

Gasoline Price: $0.28

Change from the previous year: $0.01

1958

Gasoline Price: $0.28

Change from the previous year: $0.00

1959

Gasoline Price: $0.28

Change from the previous year: $0.00

1960

Gasoline Price: $0.29

Change from the previous year: $0.01

1961

Gasoline Price: $0.29

Change from the previous year: $0.00

1962

Gasoline Price: $0.29

Change from the previous year: $0.00

1963

Gasoline Price: $0.29

Change from the previous year: $0.00

1964

Gasoline Price: $0.29

Change from the previous year: $0.00

1965

Gasoline Price: $0.30

Change from the previous year: $0.01

1966

Gasoline Price: $0.30

Change from the previous year: $0.00

1967

Gasoline Price: $0.31

Change from the previous year: $0.01

1968

Gasoline Price: $0.32

Change from the previous year: $0.01

1969

Gasoline Price: $0.33

Change from the previous year: $0.01

1970

Gasoline Price: $0.33

Change from the previous year: $0.00

1971

Gasoline Price: $0.33

Change from the previous year: $0.00

1972

Gasoline Price: $0.34

Change from the previous year: $0.01

1973

Gasoline Price: $0.37

Change from the previous year: $0.03

1974

Gasoline Price: $0.50

Change from the previous year: $0.13

1975

Gasoline Price: $0.53

Change from the previous year: $0.03

1976

Gasoline Price: $0.56

Change from the previous year: $0.03

1977

Gasoline Price: $0.59

Change from the previous year: $0.03

1978

Gasoline Price: $0.65

Change from the previous year: $0.06

1979

Gasoline Price: $0.88

Change from the previous year: $0.23

1980

Gasoline Price: $1.22

Change from the previous year: $0.34

1981

Gasoline Price: $1.35

Change from the previous year: $0.13

1982

Gasoline Price: $1.28

Change from the previous year: $-0.07

1983

Gasoline Price: $1.22

Change from the previous year: $-0.06

1984

Gasoline Price: $1.20

Change from the previous year: $-0.02

1985

Gasoline Price: $1.19

Change from the previous year: $-0.01

1986

Gasoline Price: $0.93

Change from the previous year: $-0.26

1987

Gasoline Price: $0.96

Change from the previous year: $0.03

1988

Gasoline Price: $0.96

Change from the previous year: $0.00

1989

Gasoline Price: $1.06

Change from the previous year: $0.10

1990

Gasoline Price: $1.22

Change from the previous year: $0.16

1991

Gasoline Price: $1.20

Change from the previous year: $-0.02

1992

Gasoline Price: $1.19

Change from the previous year: $-0.01

1993

Gasoline Price: $1.17

Change from the previous year: $-0.02

1994

Gasoline Price: $1.17

Change from the previous year: $0.00

1995

Gasoline Price: $1.21

Change from the previous year: $0.04

1996

Gasoline Price: $1.29

Change from the previous year: $0.08

1997

Gasoline Price: $1.29

Change from the previous year: $0.00

1998

Gasoline Price: $1.12

Change from the previous year: $-0.17

1999

Gasoline Price: $1.22

Change from the previous year: $0.10

2000

Gasoline Price: $1.56

Change from the previous year: $0.34

2001

Gasoline Price: $1.53

Change from the previous year: $-0.03

2002

Gasoline Price: $1.44

Change from the previous year: $-0.09

2003

Gasoline Price: $1.64

Change from the previous year: $0.20

2004

Gasoline Price: $1.92

Change from the previous year: $0.28

2005

Gasoline Price: $2.34

Change from the previous year: $0.42

2006

Gasoline Price: $2.63

Change from the previous year: $0.29

2007

Gasoline Price: $2.85

Change from the previous year: $0.22

2008

Gasoline Price: $3.32

Change from the previous year: $0.47

2009

Gasoline Price: $2.40

Change from the previous year: $-0.92

2010

Gasoline Price: $2.84

Change from the previous year: $0.44

2011

Gasoline Price: $3.58

Change from the previous year: $0.74

2012

Gasoline Price: $3.70

Change from the previous year: $0.12

2013

Gasoline Price: $3.58

Change from the previous year: $-0.12

2014

Gasoline Price: $3.43

Change from the previous year: $-0.15

2015

Gasoline Price: $2.51

Change from the previous year: $-0.92

2016

Gasoline Price: $2.25

Change from the previous year: $-0.28

2017

Gasoline Price: $2.53

Change from the previous year: $0.28

2018

Gasoline Price: $2.81

Change from the previous year: $0.28

2019

Gasoline Price: $2.70

Change from the previous year: $-0.11

2020

Gasoline Price: $2.26

Change from the previous year: $-0.44

This story was originally published March 28, 2016 at 10:34 AM.

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