Here’s What a Gallon of Gas Cost When You Were Born (If You Can Believe It)

Whether today’s gas prices are on the high side or the low side, it’s never fun to pay up at the pump and it can be hard not to remember the good old days.

But how good were they, really?

Adjusting for inflation gives an apples-to-apples comparison with the numbers we’re seeing today. Using data from the U.S. Department of Energy, let’s take a look at 50 years of gas prices.

Check out the numbers for the years in which you and your friends were born. Following are the average retail prices for gas (regular leaded until 1990, then unleaded) for each year from the 1950s through the 1990s, as they were paid at the pump back then — after federal and state taxes — and after being adjusted for today’s inflation.

The 1990s

1999:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $1.17 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $2.26

1998:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $1.06 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $2.08

1997:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $1.23 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $2.46

1996:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $1.23 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $2.53

1995:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $1.15 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $2.43

1994:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $1.11 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $2.41

1993:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $1.11 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $2.47

1992:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $1.13 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $2.60

1991:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $1.14 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $2.69

1990:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $1.15 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $2.87

The 1980s

1989:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $1.00 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $2.62

1988:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.90 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $2.47

1987:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.90 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $2.57

1986:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.86 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $2.49

1985:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $1.12 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.37

1984:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $1.13 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.52

1983:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $1.16 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.77

1982:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $1.22 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $4.11

1981:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $1.31 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $4.78

1980:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $1.19 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $4.86

The 1970s

1979:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.86 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $4.00

1978:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.63 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.20

1977:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.62 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.37

1976:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.59 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.37

1975:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.57 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.48

1974:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.53 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.61

1973:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.39 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $2.91

1972:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.36 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $2.78

1971:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.36 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $2.87

1970:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.36 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.03

The 1960s

1969:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.35 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.12

1968:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.34 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.17

1967:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.33 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.19

1966:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.32 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.20

1965:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.31 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.16

1964:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.30 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.08

1963:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.30 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.13

1962:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.31 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.28

1961:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.31 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.30

1960:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.31 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.36

The 1950s

1959:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.31 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.40

1958:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.30 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.33

1957:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.31 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.57

1956:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.30 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.56

1955:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.29 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.45

1954:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.29 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.42

1953:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.29 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.46

1952:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.27 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.24

1951:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.27 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.38

1950:

• Average retail price for regular gas: $0.27 per gallon
• Adjusted for overall inflation (2025 dollars): $3.65