Ownership costs
U.S. gasoline eased to $4.071 as diesel stayed above $5.50
EIA's September 1 release puts regular gasoline at $4.071 a gallon nationwide and diesel at $5.599, both slightly below the prior week but far above a year earlier.
Source: Government data · U.S. Energy Information Administration · Sep 1, 2026
Photo by Jedidiah-Jordan O. · Pexels License
What the latest weekly data show
The U.S. Energy Information Administration's September 1 release estimates that regular gasoline averaged $4.071 per gallon nationwide on August 31. That was 1.4 cents lower than the prior week but 89.4 cents above the year-earlier reading. EIA's retail figures include taxes.
Diesel averaged $5.599 per gallon, down 5.3 cents in one week but $1.865 above a year earlier. These are weekly estimates for the dates shown, not a measure of every station's price.
Prices differ across the country
EIA reported August 31 regional gasoline averages ranging from $3.618 on the Gulf Coast to $5.206 on the West Coast, with the East Coast at $3.937, the Midwest at $3.847, and the Rocky Mountain region at $4.266. Its selected state figures ranged from $3.577 in Texas to $5.520 in California.
Drivers should check prices near the routes and stations they actually use. Fuel grade, local taxes, distribution costs, and station-level pricing can move a personal fill-up above or below an EIA regional average.
Do not confuse the weekly reading with a forecast
EIA's separate August Short-Term Energy Outlook forecasts regular gasoline will average $3.78 per gallon in 2026 and $3.29 in 2027. A weekly reading can sit above or below an annual average, and the forecast can change as oil supply, inventories, demand, and margins change.
How to update a vehicle budget
- Divide expected annual miles by the vehicle's realistic miles per gallon, then multiply by a local fuel-price assumption.
- Test more than one fuel-price scenario instead of assuming the latest weekly move will continue.
- Compare fuel with financing, insurance, maintenance, registration, taxes, and depreciation.
- Sellers should describe official fuel-economy ratings accurately and avoid promising a specific future fuel bill.
Primary references
Sources and methodology
MyFavi links to the original material so you can verify the details, reporting period, and later updates.
- Publisher and data provider
- U.S. Energy Information Administration
- Source classification
- Government data
- Dataset or report
- Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update
- Reporting period
- Week ending August 31, 2026
Weekly fuel-price estimates and energy forecasts can change. This article provides national and regional context, not a guarantee of a future price or a vehicle's total ownership cost.