States With the Lowest and Highest Gas Taxes
kyletperry / Getty Images 50. Alaska > State gas tax: 14.4 cents per gal. > Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.98 per gal. (4th highest) > State taxes as pct. of gas price: 4.8% (the lowest) > Annual…
How much Americans pay at the pump depends on several factors — primarily, the price of crude oil, which is determined in large part by global supply and demand. Other variables affecting the price of a gallon of gasoline include transportation expenses, refining costs, and, of course, taxes.
The federal government levies a tax of 18.4 cents on every gallon of gas sold in the United States. On top of that, each state tacks on its own excise tax, which further drives up the cost of fuel. State-imposed taxes and fees can account for anywhere from 5% of the total cost of gas to more than 20%, depending on where you live.
Using data from the American Petroleum Institute, an industry advocacy group, 24/7 Wall St. ranked all 50 states based on total taxes and fees each charges for a gallon of gas. States were ranked from the lowest tax rate to the highest. The total average price of a gallon of gas came from AAA’s Daily Fuel Gauge Report. We also calculated the average annual vehicle miles travelled per licensed driver in 2018 in each state with data from the Federal Highway Administration. Generally, states with higher state taxes and fees have fewer miles traveled per registered vehicle.
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. Still, higher than average gas taxes do not always translate to well-maintained infrastructure. Here is a list of the states where the largest share of roads and bridges are in a state of disrepair.
With taxes charged at a per gallon rate, gas taxes can quickly add up, particularly for Americans driving larger vehicles. Still, from a historic perspective, the price of gasoline today is relatively inexpensive in the United States. This is due in large part to the steep drop in crude oil prices in 2014. A gallon of gas cost an average of $2.50 in the United States as of late January. As recently as 2012, however, the average price was over $4 per gallon, adjusted for inflation. Here is a look at the cost of a gallon of gas the year you were born.
Click here to see the states with the lowest and highest gas taxes
50. Alaska
> State gas tax: 14.4 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.98 per gal. (4th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 4.8% (the lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 10,237 (2nd lowest)
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49. Missouri
> State gas tax: 17.4 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.15 per gal. (the lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 8.1% (4th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 17,926 (6th highest)
[entry-topics ids=”28577″]
48. Mississippi
> State gas tax: 18.8 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.20 per gal. (3rd lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 8.5% (5th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 19,791 (2nd highest)
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47. New Mexico
> State gas tax: 18.9 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.37 per gal. (19th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 8.0% (3rd lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 18,711 (3rd highest)
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46. Arizona
> State gas tax: 19.0 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.82 per gal. (7th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 6.7% (2nd lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 12,516 (11th lowest)
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45. Oklahoma (tied)
> State gas tax: 20.0 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.22 per gal. (5th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 9.0% (7th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 18,142 (5th highest)
[entry-topics ids=”6084″]
44. Texas (tied)
> State gas tax: 20.0 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.17 per gal. (2nd lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 9.2% (9th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 16,237 (14th highest)
[entry-topics ids=”1575″]
43. Louisiana
> State gas tax: 20.0 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.21 per gal. (4th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 9.1% (8th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,610 (25th highest)
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42. Virginia
> State gas tax: 22.0 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.30 per gal. (12th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 9.6% (12th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,393 (24th lowest)
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41. Colorado
> State gas tax: 22.0 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.56 per gal. (17th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 8.6% (6th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 12,711 (13th lowest)
[entry-topics ids=”180″]
40. South Carolina
> State gas tax: 22.8 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.22 per gal. (6th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 10.3% (14th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,769 (22nd highest)
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39. Delaware (tied)
> State gas tax: 23.0 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.24 per gal. (9th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 10.3% (15th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 12,943 (15th lowest)
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38. North Dakota (tied)
> State gas tax: 23.0 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.44 per gal. (24th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 9.4% (11th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 17,558 (10th highest)
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37. New Hampshire
> State gas tax: 23.8 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.45 per gal. (23rd highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 9.7% (13th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 11,859 (7th lowest)
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36. Wyoming
> State gas tax: 24.0 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.57 per gal. (15th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 9.3% (10th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 24,898 (the highest)
[entry-topics ids=”19422″]
35. Kansas
> State gas tax: 24.0 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.24 per gal. (8th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 10.7% (17th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,976 (21st highest)
[entry-topics ids=”14041″]
34. Arkansas
> State gas tax: 24.8 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.23 per gal. (7th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 11.1% (18th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 17,095 (12th highest)
[entry-topics ids=”50255″]
33. Kentucky
> State gas tax: 26.0 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.33 per gal. (14th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 11.2% (19th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 16,337 (13th highest)
[entry-topics ids=”59349″]
32. Massachusetts
> State gas tax: 26.5 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.56 per gal. (17th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 10.4% (16th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 13,530 (17th lowest)
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31. Alabama
> State gas tax: 27.2 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.25 per gal. (10th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 12.1% (25th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 17,796 (8th highest)
[entry-topics ids=”8017″]
30. Tennessee
> State gas tax: 27.4 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.27 per gal. (11th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 12.1% (25th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,997 (20th highest)
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29. Minnesota
> State gas tax: 28.6 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.39 per gal. (22nd lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 12.0% (23rd lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 17,823 (7th highest)
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28. South Dakota
> State gas tax: 30.0 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.41 per gal. (24th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 12.5% (23rd highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 15,224 (19th highest)
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27. Maine
> State gas tax: 30.0 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.53 per gal. (20th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 11.9% (22nd lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,207 (20th lowest)
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26. Nebraska
> State gas tax: 30.2 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.39 per gal. (21st lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 12.7% (22nd highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,768 (23rd highest)
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25. Iowa
> State gas tax: 30.5 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.30 per gal. (13th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 13.3% (18th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,725 (24th highest)
[entry-topics ids=”59348″]
24. Vermont
> State gas tax: 30.8 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.63 per gal. (11th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 11.7% (21st lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 13,005 (16th lowest)
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23. Utah
> State gas tax: 31.1 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.60 per gal. (12th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 12.0% (24th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 15,793 (16th highest)
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22. Montana
> State gas tax: 32.8 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.52 per gal. (21st highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 13.0% (20th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 15,752 (17th highest)
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21. Wisconsin
> State gas tax: 32.9 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.37 per gal. (20th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 13.9% (16th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 15,364 (18th highest)
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20. Idaho
> State gas tax: 33.0 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.58 per gal. (14th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 12.8% (21st highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,139 (19th lowest)
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19. Nevada
> State gas tax: 33.8 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.97 per gal. (6th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 11.4% (20th lowest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,278 (22nd lowest)
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18. Georgia
> State gas tax: 34.5 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.34 per gal. (16th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 14.7% (14th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 18,337 (4th highest)
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17. Rhode Island
> State gas tax: 35.0 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.55 per gal. (19th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 13.7% (17th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 10,580 (4th lowest)
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16. West Virginia
> State gas tax: 35.7 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.48 per gal. (22nd highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 14.4% (15th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 17,107 (11th highest)
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15. North Carolina
> State gas tax: 36.4 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.33 per gal. (15th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 15.6% (11th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 16,130 (15th highest)
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14. Maryland
> State gas tax: 36.7 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.41 per gal. (24th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 15.2% (13th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 13,561 (18th lowest)
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13. Oregon
> State gas tax: 36.8 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.97 per gal. (5th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 12.4% (24th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 12,573 (12th lowest)
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12. Ohio
> State gas tax: 38.5 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.43 per gal. (25th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 15.9% (10th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,251 (21st lowest)
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11. Connecticut
> State gas tax: 40.1 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.63 per gal. (10th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 15.2% (12th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 12,126 (8th lowest)
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10. New Jersey
> State gas tax: 41.4 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.57 per gal. (16th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 16.1% (8th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 12,225 (9th lowest)
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9. Michigan
> State gas tax: 42.0 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.37 per gal. (19th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 17.7% (4th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,314 (23rd lowest)
[entry-topics ids=”11110″]
8. Florida
> State gas tax: 42.3 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.41 per gal. (25th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 17.5% (5th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,433 (25th lowest)
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7. New York
> State gas tax: 45.0 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.68 per gal. (9th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 16.8% (7th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 10,128 (the lowest)
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6. Indiana
> State gas tax: 46.6 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.36 per gal. (17th lowest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 19.7% (3rd highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 17,765 (9th highest)
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5. Hawaii
> State gas tax: 48.4 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $3.66 per gal. (the highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 13.2% (19th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 11,479 (6th lowest)
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4. Washington
> State gas tax: 49.4 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $3.10 per gal. (3rd highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 16.0% (9th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 10,553 (3rd lowest)
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3. Illinois
> State gas tax: 53.7 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.60 per gal. (12th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 20.7% (2nd highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 12,387 (10th lowest)
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2. Pennsylvania
> State gas tax: 58.7 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $2.70 per gal. (8th highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 21.7% (the highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 11,356 (5th lowest)
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1. California
> State gas tax: 60.6 cents per gal.
> Avg. gas price as of late-Jan. 2020: $3.52 per gal. (2nd highest)
> State taxes as pct. of gas price: 17.2% (6th highest)
> Annual miles traveled per driver: 12,900 (14th lowest)
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Sam Stebbins is a writer at 247WallSt.com where his primary focus is on government policy, politics, companies, and broad social and economic trends. Sam has been writing in the money and news verticals for over 8 years and holds a bachelor's degree from Hobart College, which he earned in 2010. Sam resides in upstate New York and enjoys hiking, biking, canoeing, and skiing in the Adirondack Mountains and across the Northeast.
