September 1, 2026 | Premium Gasoline Pricing Analysis
Premium gasoline pricing is approaching the $5-per-gallon level across the U.S., but state-level data shows that the market is far from uniform.
Based on our September 1, 2026 state-level Premium gasoline analysis, the average across all 50 states is approximately $4.85 per gallon.
The gap between individual markets is significant. Oklahoma recorded the lowest Premium price at $4.31/gal, while California recorded the highest at $5.95/gal, creating a difference of $1.64 per gallon.
The regional averages also show a clear divide:
- West: $5.22/gal
- Northeast: $4.97/gal
- Midwest: $4.72/gal
- South: $4.53/gal
Only 18 of the 50 states in the dataset are at or above the $5-per-gallon threshold.
Midwest Premium Gasoline Prices
Midwest Regional Average: $4.72/gal
The Midwest shows a wide range of Premium gasoline prices, with Illinois and Michigan above $5 while several other states remain considerably lower.
Iowa recorded a Premium gasoline price of $4.47/gal, keeping the state below the Midwest regional average.
Illinois recorded the highest Premium price in the Midwest at $5.26/gal, making it one of the region’s two markets above the $5 threshold.
Indiana recorded a Premium price of $4.42/gal, placing it among the lower-priced markets in the Midwest.
Kansas recorded Premium gasoline at $4.53/gal, remaining below the regional average.
Michigan recorded the second-highest Premium price in the Midwest at $5.24/gal, only slightly below Illinois.
Minnesota stood at $4.94/gal, putting the state close to the $5 threshold and above the Midwest regional average.
Missouri recorded a Premium price of $4.48/gal, remaining below the regional average.
North Dakota recorded $4.57/gal for Premium gasoline.
Nebraska recorded the lowest Premium price in the Midwest at $4.33/gal.
Ohio stood at $4.80/gal, placing it above the Midwest regional average but below the $5 threshold.
South Dakota recorded $4.68/gal, remaining slightly below the regional average.
Wisconsin recorded Premium gasoline at $4.88/gal, putting it relatively close to the $5 mark.
Overall, the Midwest’s Premium prices ranged from $4.33/gal in Nebraska to $5.26/gal in Illinois.
South Premium Gasoline Prices
South Regional Average: $4.53/gal
The South recorded the lowest regional Premium gasoline average among the four regions, with every state remaining below $5 in the September 1 dataset.
Alabama recorded Premium gasoline at $4.48/gal, slightly below the South regional average.
Arkansas stood at $4.49/gal, also remaining below the regional average.
Florida recorded $4.71/gal, making it one of the highest-priced Premium markets in the South.
Georgia recorded a Premium price of $4.58/gal, placing it above the regional average.
Kentucky stood at $4.67/gal, making it one of the higher-priced markets in the region.
Louisiana recorded $4.37/gal, remaining well below the South regional average.
Mississippi recorded Premium gasoline at $4.38/gal, also among the lower-priced Southern markets.
North Carolina stood at $4.67/gal, matching Kentucky and remaining below the $5 threshold.
Oklahoma recorded the lowest Premium gasoline price in the entire 50-state dataset at $4.31/gal.
South Carolina recorded Premium gasoline at $4.56/gal, close to the regional average.
Tennessee stood at $4.43/gal, remaining below the South regional average.
Texas recorded $4.43/gal for Premium gasoline, also below the regional average.
Virginia recorded a Premium price of $4.62/gal, placing it above the South regional average.
West Virginia recorded the highest Premium price in the South at $4.77/gal.
Overall, the South ranged from $4.31/gal in Oklahoma to $4.77/gal in West Virginia, giving the region a relatively narrow spread compared with the West.
Northeast Premium Gasoline Prices
Northeast Regional Average: $4.97/gal
The Northeast is the second-highest-priced region, with its regional average sitting just below the $5-per-gallon threshold.
Connecticut recorded a Premium gasoline price of $4.94/gal, placing it close to the regional average.
Delaware stood at $4.71/gal, making it one of the lower-priced Premium markets in the Northeast.
Massachusetts recorded $5.06/gal, putting the state above the $5 threshold.
Maryland recorded the lowest Premium price in the Northeast at $4.69/gal.
Maine stood at $5.07/gal, moving above the $5 mark.
New Hampshire recorded $5.02/gal, also crossing the $5 threshold.
New Jersey recorded Premium gasoline at $4.83/gal, remaining below the regional average.
New York stood at $5.07/gal, placing it above the $5 threshold.
Pennsylvania recorded $5.08/gal, making it one of the region’s higher-priced markets.
Rhode Island stood at $5.04/gal, also above $5.
Vermont recorded the highest Premium price in the Northeast at $5.15/gal.
The Northeast therefore has a particularly interesting pricing pattern, with several states above $5 while others remain below it.
West Premium Gasoline Prices
West Regional Average: $5.22/gal
The West recorded the highest regional Premium gasoline average in the country at $5.22/gal, making it the only region with an average clearly above $5.
Alaska recorded Premium gasoline at $5.02/gal, just above the $5 threshold.
Arizona stood at $5.21/gal, placing it well above the national average.
California recorded the highest Premium gasoline price in the entire dataset at $5.95/gal.
Colorado recorded $4.95/gal, remaining below the $5 threshold but close to it.
Hawaii stood at $5.31/gal, making it one of the higher-priced markets in the West.
Idaho recorded Premium gasoline at $5.21/gal, also above the $5 mark.
Montana stood at $5.05/gal, crossing the $5 threshold.
New Mexico recorded the lowest Premium price in the West at $4.80/gal, although it remained above the South regional average.
Nevada recorded $5.31/gal, matching Hawaii and placing it among the region’s higher-priced markets.
Oregon stood at $5.37/gal, making it the third-highest Premium market in the West among the states analyzed.
Utah recorded $4.94/gal, remaining just below the $5 threshold.
Washington recorded $5.78/gal, making it the second-highest Premium gasoline market nationally.
Wyoming stood at $4.97/gal, just below the $5 threshold and close to the Northeast regional average.
The West therefore shows the strongest Premium pricing pressure, with California at $5.95/gal and Washington at $5.78/gal driving the upper end of the market.
Key Insights From the September 1 Premium Dataset
1. The West is the most expensive region
The West averaged $5.22/gal, making it the highest-priced region in the analysis.
Its average was approximately $0.69/gal higher than the South, which recorded the lowest regional average at $4.53/gal.
2. Most states have not crossed $5
Although Premium gasoline is approaching the $5 threshold nationally, only 18 of 50 states in our dataset recorded prices at or above $5.
This means the national average does not necessarily represent the price consumers are seeing in individual states.
3. California is the highest-priced state
At $5.95/gal, California recorded the highest Premium gasoline price in the dataset.
The state’s price was $1.64/gal higher than Oklahoma, which recorded the lowest price at $4.31/gal.
4. The Northeast is almost at $5
The Northeast recorded a regional average of $4.97/gal, making it the second-highest region.
Several states in the region have already crossed $5, including Vermont, Pennsylvania, New York, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.
5. The South has the lowest regional average
At $4.53/gal, the South recorded the lowest regional average.
The region also had a relatively narrow price range, with Oklahoma at $4.31/gal and West Virginia at $4.77/gal.
6. The regional spread is significant
The difference between the West’s $5.22/gal average and the South’s $4.53/gal average is approximately $0.69/gal.
That gap demonstrates how differently Premium gasoline is priced across U.S. markets.
7. State-level monitoring provides greater market visibility
The September 1 data shows that Premium gasoline pricing cannot be fully understood through a single national number.
With prices ranging from $4.31 to $5.95 per gallon, regional and state-level tracking can provide a clearer picture of competitive pricing conditions and emerging market differences.
Conclusion
The September 1, 2026 Premium gasoline dataset shows a U.S. market approaching the $5-per-gallon level, but the pricing landscape varies significantly across regions.
The West has already moved above $5 on a regional-average basis, while the Northeast is just below $5. The Midwest and South remain below the threshold, with averages of $4.72 and $4.53 respectively.
For fuel retailers, distributors, fleets, and market analysts, these differences reinforce the importance of monitoring state-level and regional pricing trends rather than relying solely on a national average.
