Here's what gas cost the year you started driving
ORLANDO, Fla. - Your wallet is probably feeling a major sting right now.
Gas prices have risen to historic levels with the average now over $4 per gallon. Experts say we haven't seen prices that high since 2008. AAA explains that gas prices are surging because of sanctions against Russia, which has limited its ability to sell oil on the global market.
With 2022 bringing sticker shock to drivers, you may be reminiscing about lower gas price days. Stacker ran the numbers for what gas cost per gallon over the last several decades using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
RELATED: Florida gas prices soar to record high, passing $4 per gallon
"Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (last updated in August 2021), we analyzed the average price for a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline from 1976 to 2021 along with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for unleaded regular gasoline from 1937 to 1976, including the absolute and inflation-adjusted prices for each year," Stacker reported.
1972
- Absolute gas price: $0.37
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.42 (#19 least expensive year in 85-year span)
1973
- Absolute gas price: $0.41
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.52 (#23 least expensive year in 85-year span)
1974
- Absolute gas price: $0.55
- Inflation-adjusted price: $3.05 (#21 most expensive year in 85-year span)
1975
- Absolute gas price: $0.59
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.99 (#27 most expensive year in 85-year span)
1976
- Absolute gas price: $0.61
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.93 (#35 most expensive year in 85-year span)
1977
- Absolute gas price: $0.66
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.97 (#30 most expensive year in 85-year span)
1978
- Absolute gas price: $0.67
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.81 (#34 least expensive year in 85-year span)
1979
- Absolute gas price: $0.90
- Inflation-adjusted price: $3.38 (#15 most expensive year in 85-year span)
1980
- Absolute gas price: $1.25
- Inflation-adjusted price: $4.14 (#5 most expensive year in 85-year span)
1981
- Absolute gas price: $1.38
- Inflation-adjusted price: $4.14 (#4 most expensive year in 85-year span)
1982
- Absolute gas price: $1.30
- Inflation-adjusted price: $3.68 (#9 most expensive year in 85-year span)
1983
- Absolute gas price: $1.24
- Inflation-adjusted price: $3.40 (#14 most expensive year in 85-year span)
1984
- Absolute gas price: $1.21
- Inflation-adjusted price: $3.18 (#18 most expensive year in 85-year span)
1985
- Absolute gas price: $1.20
- Inflation-adjusted price: $3.04 (#22 most expensive year in 85-year span)
1986
- Absolute gas price: $0.93
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.32 (#16 least expensive year in 85-year span)
1987
- Absolute gas price: $0.95
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.28 (#13 least expensive year in 85-year span)
1988
- Absolute gas price: $0.95
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.19 (#9 least expensive year in 85-year span)
1989
- Absolute gas price: $1.02
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.25 (#11 least expensive year in 85-year span)
1990
- Absolute gas price: $1.16
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.42 (#20 least expensive year in 85-year span)
1991
- Absolute gas price: $1.14
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.29 (#14 least expensive year in 85-year span)
1992
- Absolute gas price: $1.13
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.20 (#10 least expensive year in 85-year span)
1993
- Absolute gas price: $1.11
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.10 (#7 least expensive year in 85-year span)
1994
- Absolute gas price: $1.11
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.04 (#3 least expensive year in 85-year span)
1995
- Absolute gas price: $1.15
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.06 (#4 least expensive year in 85-year span)
1996
- Absolute gas price: $1.23
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.14 (#8 least expensive year in 85-year span)
1997
- Absolute gas price: $1.23
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.09 (#6 least expensive year in 85-year span)
1998
- Absolute gas price: $1.06
- Inflation-adjusted price: $1.78 (#1 least expensive year in 85-year span)
1999
- Absolute gas price: $1.17
- Inflation-adjusted price: $1.92 (#2 least expensive year in 85-year span)
2000
- Absolute gas price: $1.51
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.39 (#18 least expensive year in 85-year span)
2001
- Absolute gas price: $1.46
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.25 (#12 least expensive year in 85-year span)
2002
- Absolute gas price: $1.36
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.06 (#5 least expensive year in 85-year span)
2003
- Absolute gas price: $1.59
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.36 (#17 least expensive year in 85-year span)
2004
- Absolute gas price: $1.88
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.72 (#30 least expensive year in 85-year span)
2005
- Absolute gas price: $2.30
- Inflation-adjusted price: $3.22 (#17 most expensive year in 85-year span)
2006
- Absolute gas price: $2.59
- Inflation-adjusted price: $3.51 (#11 most expensive year in 85-year span)
2007
- Absolute gas price: $2.80
- Inflation-adjusted price: $3.69 (#8 most expensive year in 85-year span)
2008
- Absolute gas price: $3.27
- Inflation-adjusted price: $4.15 (#3 most expensive year in 85-year span)
2009
- Absolute gas price: $2.35
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.99 (#28 most expensive year in 85-year span)
2010
- Absolute gas price: $2.79
- Inflation-adjusted price: $3.49 (#12 most expensive year in 85-year span)
2011
- Absolute gas price: $3.53
- Inflation-adjusted price: $4.28 (#2 most expensive year in 85-year span)
2012
- Absolute gas price: $3.64
- Inflation-adjusted price: $4.33 (#1 most expensive year in 85-year span)
2013
- Absolute gas price: $3.53
- Inflation-adjusted price: $4.14 (#6 most expensive year in 85-year span)
2014
- Absolute gas price: $3.37
- Inflation-adjusted price: $3.89 (#7 most expensive year in 85-year span)
2015
- Absolute gas price: $2.45
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.82 (#37 least expensive year in 85-year span)
2016
- Absolute gas price: $2.14
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.43 (#21 least expensive year in 85-year span)
2017
- Absolute gas price: $2.41
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.68 (#29 least expensive year in 85-year span)
2018
- Absolute gas price: $2.74
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.98 (#29 most expensive year in 85-year span)
2019
- Absolute gas price: $2.64
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.82 (#36 least expensive year in 85-year span)
2020
- Absolute gas price: $2.17
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.29 (#15 least expensive year in 85-year span)
2021
- Absolute gas price: $2.83
- Inflation-adjusted price: $2.83 (#38 least expensive year in 85-year span)
To find the complete list of years and explanations for the prices, go to Stacker.
You can find the cheapest gas prices near you using FOX 35's Pump Patrol.
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