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Not including the cost of crude oil, taxes are the single largest factor in determining how much Americans pay at the pump. Combined, federal and state taxes add more to the price of a gallon of gas than refining costs, retail markup, and transportation expenses.
The federal government and state governments use gasoline taxes to fund road construction and repair. Gasoline taxes also help preserve road conditions by making driving, which wears down on roadways, more expensive.
The federal government levies an 18.4 cent tax on every gallon of gasoline sold in the United States. On top of that, each state imposes its own tax — and in almost every case, the state tax is higher than the federal tax. A handful of states charge more than double the national tax level.
Click here to see the states with the highest and lowest gas taxes.
24/7 Wall St. reviewed state tax levels from industry advocacy group the American Petroleum Institute to identify the states with the highest and lowest gas taxes. Due largely to taxes assessed at the state level, motorists in some states are paying much more at the pump than in others — often, as much as 50% to 75% more.
How much a state chooses to tax a gallon of gas does indeed appear to affect residents’ driving habits. Nationwide, the typical motorist drives 14,318 miles a year. In seven of the 10 states with the lowest gas taxes, people tend to drive more. Meanwhile, people on average drive less in the eight of the 10 states with the highest gas taxes.
To identify the states with the highest and lowest gas taxes, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed state and average local gas taxes from the American Petroleum Institute. Average gas prices as of Jan. 11, 2019 for each state came from AAA’s Daily Fuel Gauge Report. We also reviewed average annual vehicle miles travelled in each state from the Federal Highway Administration.
50. Alaska
> State gas tax: 14.7 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.98 per gal. (4th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 4.9% (the lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 9,837 (the lowest)
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49. Missouri
> State gas tax: 17.4 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $1.88 per gal. (the lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 9.2% (4th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 17,418 (10th highest)
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48. Mississippi
> State gas tax: 18.8 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $1.92 per gal. (4th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 9.8% (6th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 20,187 (2nd highest)
47. New Mexico
> State gas tax: 18.9 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.13 per gal. (22nd lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 8.9% (3rd lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 18,324 (4th highest)
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46. Arizona
> State gas tax: 19.0 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.61 per gal. (7th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 7.3% (2nd lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 12,944 (14th lowest)
45. Oklahoma
> State gas tax: 20.0 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $1.93 per gal. (6th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 10.4% (11th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 19,620 (3rd highest)
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44. Texas
> State gas tax: 20.0 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $1.93 per gal. (7th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 10.4% (10th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 17,082 (11th highest)
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43. Louisiana
> State gas tax: 20.0 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $1.92 per gal. (5th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 10.4% (12th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,478 (22nd lowest)
42. Virginia
> State gas tax: 20.7 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.02 per gal. (12th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 10.2% (8th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,287 (20th lowest)
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41. South Carolina
> State gas tax: 20.8 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $1.94 per gal. (8th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 10.7% (15th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,560 (24th lowest)
40. Alabama
> State gas tax: 21.1 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $1.91 per gal. (3rd lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 11.0% (17th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 17,557 (7th highest)
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39. Arkansas
> State gas tax: 21.8 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $1.90 per gal. (2nd lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 11.5% (18th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,953 (20th highest)
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38. Colorado
> State gas tax: 22.0 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.16 per gal. (25th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 10.2% (7th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 12,824 (12th lowest)
37. Delaware
> State gas tax: 23.0 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.10 per gal. (19th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 10.9% (16th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 13,457 (17th lowest)
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36. North Dakota
> State gas tax: 23.0 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.18 per gal. (23rd highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 10.6% (13th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 17,519 (8th highest)
35. New Hampshire
> State gas tax: 23.8 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.33 per gal. (18th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 10.2% (9th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 12,326 (9th lowest)
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34. Wyoming
> State gas tax: 24.0 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.49 per gal. (11th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 9.6% (5th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 22,139 (the highest)
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33. Kansas
> State gas tax: 24.0 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $1.97 per gal. (9th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 12.2% (21st lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 15,814 (16th highest)
32. Kentucky
> State gas tax: 26.0 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.05 per gal. (13th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 12.7% (22nd lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 16,267 (13th highest)
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31. Tennessee
> State gas tax: 26.4 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $1.99 per gal. (10th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 13.3% (25th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,791 (24th highest)
30. Massachusetts
> State gas tax: 26.5 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.49 per gal. (14th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 10.7% (14th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 12,265 (8th lowest)
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29. Ohio
> State gas tax: 28.0 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.06 per gal. (16th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 13.6% (23rd highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,873 (21st highest)
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28. Minnesota
> State gas tax: 28.6 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.07 per gal. (18th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 13.8% (22nd highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 17,475 (9th highest)
27. Nebraska
> State gas tax: 28.9 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.05 per gal. (14th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 14.1% (18th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,739 (25th highest)
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26. Utah
> State gas tax: 29.4 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.52 per gal. (10th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 11.7% (20th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 16,042 (15th highest)
25. South Dakota
> State gas tax: 30.0 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.16 per gal. (25th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 13.9% (20th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 15,268 (18th highest)
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24. Maine
> State gas tax: 30.0 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.26 per gal. (21st highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 13.3% (24th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,528 (23rd lowest)
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23. Iowa
> State gas tax: 30.7 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.01 per gal. (11th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 15.3% (16th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,845 (22nd highest)
22. Georgia
> State gas tax: 31.6 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.06 per gal. (17th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 15.3% (15th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 17,604 (6th highest)
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21. Vermont
> State gas tax: 31.8 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.49 per gal. (12th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 12.8% (24th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 13,333 (16th lowest)
20. Montana
> State gas tax: 32.3 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.32 per gal. (19th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 13.9% (21st highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 15,805 (17th highest)
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19. Wisconsin
> State gas tax: 32.9 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.06 per gal. (15th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 16.0% (12th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 15,225 (19th highest)
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18. Idaho
> State gas tax: 33.0 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.49 per gal. (13th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 13.3% (25th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,815 (23rd highest)
17. Nevada
> State gas tax: 33.8 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.91 per gal. (5th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 11.6% (19th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,307 (21st lowest)
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16. Rhode Island
> State gas tax: 34.0 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.42 per gal. (16th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 14.0% (19th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 10,525 (3rd lowest)
15. Maryland
> State gas tax: 35.3 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.21 per gal. (22nd highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 16.0% (13th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 13,866 (18th lowest)
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14. North Carolina
> State gas tax: 35.4 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.10 per gal. (20th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 16.8% (10th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 16,066 (14th highest)
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13. West Virginia
> State gas tax: 35.7 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.28 per gal. (20th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 15.7% (14th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 16,854 (12th highest)
12. Oregon
> State gas tax: 36.8 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.89 per gal. (6th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 12.7% (23rd lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 12,858 (13th lowest)
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11. Illinois
> State gas tax: 37.5 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.14 per gal. (23rd lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 17.5% (7th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 12,603 (11th lowest)
10. Florida
> State gas tax: 41.4 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.12 per gal. (21st lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 19.5% (4th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,688 (25th lowest)
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9. New Jersey
> State gas tax: 41.4 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.33 per gal. (17th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 17.7% (6th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 12,358 (10th lowest)
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8. Indiana
> State gas tax: 42.9 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.14 per gal. (24th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 20.0% (3rd highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 18,269 (5th highest)
7. Connecticut
> State gas tax: 43.5 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.56 per gal. (8th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 17.0% (8th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 12,117 (7th lowest)
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6. Michigan
> State gas tax: 44.1 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.17 per gal. (24th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 20.4% (2nd highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,055 (19th lowest)
5. New York
> State gas tax: 45.6 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.56 per gal. (9th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 17.8% (5th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 10,289 (2nd lowest)
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4. Hawaii
> State gas tax: 48.1 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $3.28 per gal. (2nd highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 14.6% (17th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 11,415 (6th lowest)
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3. Washington
> State gas tax: 49.4 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $3.01 per gal. (3rd highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 16.4% (11th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 10,827 (4th lowest)
2. California
> State gas tax: 55.5 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $3.29 per gal. (the highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 16.9% (9th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 12,982 (15th lowest)
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1. Pennsylvania
> State gas tax: 58.7 cents per gal.
> Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.48 per gal. (15th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 23.7% (the highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 11,266 (5th lowest)
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