Govargus

Presidents › Joe Biden

Gas prices under Joe Biden

Gasoline price (regular, per gallon) · Democratic · Jan 20, 2021 – Jan 20, 2025

Under Joe Biden, the price of regular gasoline went from $2.17 in Dec 2020 to $3.15 in Dec 2024, up $0.98 (+45.1%). That is +$0.24/yr, against −$0.02/yr in the four years before. Ranked by yearly change, it is the fastest rise of the 8 completed terms since 1977.

TrumpDonald Trump (1st term) (Republican)BidenJoe Biden (Democratic)TrumpDonald Trump (2nd term) (Republican)Recession (NBER)$1$2$3$4$5$620182020202220242026

Average US retail price of a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline (CPI average price data). In dollars of the day, not adjusted for inflation; mostly set by world oil prices. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, via FRED APU000074714. Monthly data, fetched Oct 19, 2026. The chart runs from four years before the term to two years after it.

Gas prices under Biden, year by year

Highest reading during the term: $5.06 in Jun 2022. Lowest: $2.17 in Dec 2020.

PeriodValueChange
Dec 2020, before inauguration$2.17
Dec 2021$3.41+$1.24
Dec 2022$3.36−$0.05
Dec 2023$3.29−$0.07
Dec 2024$3.15−$0.14

Gas prices under every president

Terms sorted by yearly change, fastest rise first, each next to the trend over the four years before it. A term's first year mostly reflects the previous administration's policies, and Congress, the Fed and the world economy move this number too. Why nothing here is a score.

PresidentDuring term4 years before
Donald Trump (2nd term)
2025–present
$3.15 → $4.48
+$0.76/yr · through Sep 2026
+$0.24/yr
Joe Biden
2021–2025
$2.17 → $3.15
+$0.24/yr
−$0.02/yr
Jimmy Carter
1977–1981
$0.63 → $1.26
+$0.16/yr
—
Barack Obama
2009–2017
$1.69 → $2.23
+$0.07/yr
−$0.05/yr
George H. W. Bush
1989–1993
$0.93 → $1.14
+$0.05/yr
−$0.07/yr
Bill Clinton
1993–2001
$1.14 → $1.49
+$0.04/yr
+$0.05/yr
George W. Bush
2001–2009
$1.49 → $1.69
+$0.02/yr
+$0.06/yr
Donald Trump (1st term)
2017–2021
$2.23 → $2.17
−$0.02/yr
−$0.28/yr
Ronald Reagan
1981–1989
$1.26 → $0.93
−$0.04/yr
+$0.16/yr

Every term lined up from inauguration day on one chart · Gasoline price by president since 1980

More under Joe Biden