Mapped: Where Gas Costs Are Highest—and Why
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Mapped: Where Gas Costs Are Highest—and Why
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Key Takeaways
U.S. drivers spend between $1.6K and $3.3K per year on gas, depending on the state.
Driving distance—not gas prices—is the biggest factor behind higher costs.
Rural states like Wyoming top the list, while Northeast states rank lowest due to shorter commutes.
Gas prices only tell part of the story.
Across the U.S., drivers can pay more than twice as much annually for fuel, even in states where gas is relatively cheap. The difference comes down to how much people drive.
Using data from AAA and the Federal Highway Administration via FinanceBuzz, this map estimates annual gasoline costs by state based on April 15, 2026 prices, average miles driven, and a fuel efficiency of 25.6 miles per gallon.
The result is a clear divide: states with longer driving distances, often rural, face the highest total costs, while shorter commutes in the Northeast keep annual spending far lower.
Ranked: Where Gas Costs Add Up the Most
Wyoming tops the list at $3,343 per year, over $1,000 above the national average, not because of high gas prices but because of how much people drive.
Drivers in the state log nearly 22,000 miles annually, about 50% more than the U.S. average, pushing total fuel costs higher despite below-average prices at the pump.
Other rural states, like Indiana ($2,928) and Mississippi ($2,912), also rank among the highest due to longer driving distances, even with gas prices below the U.S. average of $4.07 per gallon.
The table below breaks down estimated annual gas costs by state, combining April 15, 2026 fuel prices, average miles driven, and a fuel efficiency of 25.6 miles per gallon.
RankStateAnnual Fuel CostPrice of Gas per GallonApril 15Annual Miles per Driver
1Wyoming$3,343$3.8921,986
2Indiana$2,928$3.8819,296
3Mississippi$2,912$3.7419,910
4New Mexico$2,833$3.9618,321
5Missouri$2,733$3.6719,049
6California$2,705$5.8811,780
7Alabama$2,657$3.8417,728
8Utah$2,587$4.2115,725
9Kentucky$2,541$3.9816,330
10Tennessee$2,497$3.8616,558
11Idaho$2,483$4.3414,643
12North Dakota$2,480$3.6217,560
13Nevada$2,465$4.9612,716
14Arkansas$2,463$3.6517,287
15Arizona$2,458$4.6613,501
16Hawaii$2,454$5.6511,115
17Oklahoma$2,426$3.4418,031
18Georgia$2,411$3.6816,763
19Louisiana$2,409$3.7516,452
20Montana$2,406$3.9015,775
21Vermont$2,404$4.0915,048
22Texas$2,373$3.7716,125
23Oregon$2,345$5.0012,016
24Virginia$2,309$3.9714,877
25Wisconsin$2,299$3.7815,580
26Florida$2,296$4.1514,179
27North Carolina$2,292$3.8615,198
28South Carolina$2,232$3.7915,075
29Maine$2,230$4.0214,185
30South Dakota$2,220$3.6815,424
31Kansas$2,184$3.5115,941
32West Virginia$2,164$3.9314,091
33Nebraska$2,148$3.6315,157
34Washington$2,132$5.3910,125
35Maryland$2,120$4.1013,228
36Illinois$2,072$4.3612,154
37Minnesota$2,066$3.7114,272
38Alaska$2,026$4.6411,173
39Iowa$2,005$3.6514,077
40Ohio$1,981$3.8013,345
41Michigan$1,976$3.9212,906
42New Hampshire$1,934$3.9612,511
43Massachusetts$1,932$3.9712,472
44Colorado$1,921$3.9612,426
45Connecticut$1,908$4.0811,974
46Pennsylvania$1,807$4.1311,189
47New Jersey$1,804$4.0011,536
48Delaware$1,684$3.9710,854
49Rhode Island$1,616$3.9710,411
50New York$1,582$4.139,815
-- U.S. State Average $2,285$4.0714,558
California ranks sixth at $2,705 per year. Despite having the highest gas prices in the country, shorter driving distances, about 11,780 miles annually versus the 13,916 national average, keep total costs lower than in many cheaper states.
Why Northeast Drivers Spend the Least on Gas
The same pattern plays out in reverse in the Northeast.
In New York, drivers spend just $1,582 per year, about $700 below the national average, largely because they drive the fewest miles (9,185 annually). States like Rhode Island, Delaware, and New Jersey follow a similar pattern, where shorter commutes keep total fuel costs low even when gas prices are relatively high.
Ultimately, the states with the highest gas prices aren’t always the most expensive places to drive. Instead, longer commutes in rural America push total costs higher, changing how fuel affordability is actually experienced.
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