US gasoline prices hit $4.48 per gallon in September, California leads at $6.24

Average gasoline prices across the United States climbed to $4.48 per gallon in September 2026, more than $1 higher than a year earlier. California recorded the highest pump price at $6.24 per gallon, outpacing the next-most expensive state, Hawaii, by $0.67. The ten priciest states are predominantly western, while the five cheapest—Indiana, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana and South Carolina—lie in the South and Midwest.

California's steep cost is driven by a mandated special blend to curb pollution, a limited number of compliant producers, and its distance from major Gulf Coast refining hubs, which raises transport expenses. By contrast, states like Texas and Louisiana benefit from extensive local refining infrastructure that keeps distribution costs low. Nationwide, elevated crude oil prices and ongoing volatility in the Strait of Hormuz continue to pressure pump prices even in regions with lower taxes.