How Much Do Americans Spend on Gas Every Month?

Americans spent an average of $201 per month on gasoline in 2024, or 3.1% of their total annual budget, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey.

With the national average gas price at $3.98 per gallon as of March 25, 2026, according to AAA, up from roughly $3.31 during 2024, monthly spending for many drivers is likely now tracking above that baseline.

Gas accounts for 3.1% of Americans' budgets

The share of household budgets spent on gas has tracked closely with prices in recent years. In 2024, the most recent year for which there's full consumer spending data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, spending on gas made up 3.1% of total household expenditures, or $201 per month and $2,411 over the year.

Here's how spending on gas compares to other major spending categories for the average American.

Gas took 2.4% of Americans' budgets in 2020, the lowest share in the decade, as pandemic-related lockdowns kept drivers off the road and prices fell. Annual spending averaged $1,447 that year, per BLS data.

The 2022 gas price spike pushed gas to 3.8% of household budgets, with annual spending averaging $2,805, the highest level in the BLS data going back to 2014. Monthly gas spending averaged $234 that year.

The 2022 spike and subsequent pullback show how closely gas spending tracks prices. Americans don't dramatically change how much they drive when prices rise, they pay more. That dynamic is likely playing out again in real time, as gas prices have jumped from $2.78 in the week of Jan. 16, according to the Department of Energy, to $3.98 as of March 25, 2026, per AAA.

Lower-income households spend a larger share on gas

Income shapes not just how much households spend on gas, but how much of their budget it takes up.

• The lowest-income quintile spent $1,177 on gasoline in 2024 ($98 per month, 3.4% of total spending), compared to $3,477 for the highest-income quintile ($290 per month, 2.3% of spending), on average, per BLS. The highest-income households devote less of their budget to gas than the lowest-income households, even though they spend $2,300 more per year.
• The second-income quintile carried the highest budget share at 3.8%, spending $1,893 annually, or $158 per month.
• The highest-income quintile spends the most in dollars but the least as a share of the budget, a gap that widens when gas prices rise sharply.

Gas price increases function as a regressive cost. When prices rise, the budget strain falls hardest on households with the least financial flexibility.

Gas spending by age: Middle-aged drivers spend the most

Gas spending peaks in middle age and declines on either end of the age range.

• Households headed by those aged 45 to 54 spent $3,379 on gas in 2024 ($282 a month), the highest of any age group, per the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey. That group also allocated 3.4% of its total budget to gas.
• Households headed by adults 65 and older spent the least at $1,623 annually ($135 a month), or 2.6% of spending.
• Households under 25 spent $1,706 per year ($142 a month), representing 3.6% of their total spending, a relatively high budget share despite lower absolute spending, consistent with lower overall incomes in that age group.

The pattern reflects driving behavior across life stages: peak commuting and household activity in middle age, and reduced driving in retirement.

Monthly gas spending by state

How much a driver spends on gas each month depends heavily on how many miles they drive, not just the price at the pump.

• Wyoming drivers log roughly 1,800 miles per month per licensed driver, the most of any state, according to 2024 data from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Combined with relatively low prices ($3.98 a gallon as of March 25, 2026 per AAA), Wyoming drivers still spend an estimated $300 per month on gasoline.
• California illustrates the inverse: drivers in the state average fewer than 1,000 miles per driver per month, but $5.83 a gallon gas pushes estimated monthly spending to roughly $252.
• New York and Rhode Island drivers spend the least, roughly $140 per month, due to the lowest per-driver mileage in the country (around 810-828 miles a month).
  
  

How to save money at the gas pump

With gas taking up to 5% of Americans' budgets every month, here are some ways to save at the pump.

1. Use a gas credit card: These credit cards net bonus rewards or extra cash back for spending at gas stations, which can effectively reduce how much you're spending at the pump.
2. Carpool and consolidate trips: Spending less time in the car is a surefire way to burn less fuel -- and free up time as well.
3. Stick to the speed limit: Speeding is less fuel-efficient than going the speed limit. Once you hit 50 MPH, gas mileage quickly drops off as air resistance and tire friction takes its toll.
4. Consider going electric: Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming more affordable as automakers ramp up their production. Plus, 41 states and the District of Columbia, as well as the federal government, offer various incentives, like rebates, for EVs and chargers.