Govargus

Presidents › Bill Clinton

Gas prices under Bill Clinton

Gasoline price (regular, per gallon) · Democratic · Jan 20, 1993 – Jan 20, 2001

Under Bill Clinton, the price of regular gasoline went from $1.14 in Dec 1992 to $1.49 in Dec 2000, up $0.35 (+31.1%). That is +$0.04/yr, against +$0.05/yr in the four years before. Ranked by yearly change, it is 5th of the 8 completed terms since 1977, counting from the fastest rise.

BushGeorge H. W. Bush (Republican)ClintonBill Clinton (Democratic)BushGeorge W. Bush (Republican)Recession (NBER)Recession (NBER)$0.8$1.0$1.2$1.4$1.6$1.81990199219941996199820002002

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 Clinton, year by year

Highest reading during the term: $1.62 in Jun 2000. Lowest: $0.96 in Feb 1999.

PeriodValueChange
Dec 1992, before inauguration$1.14
Dec 1993$1.07−$0.07
Dec 1994$1.14+$0.07
Dec 1995$1.10−$0.04
Dec 1996$1.26+$0.16
Dec 1997$1.18−$0.08
Dec 1998$0.99−$0.19
Dec 1999$1.30+$0.31
Dec 2000$1.49+$0.19

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 Bill Clinton