Diesel prices rose 89% from January low to September record high
The average cost of a gallon of diesel in the US is over $6. What's behind the increase?
The average US price of a gallon of diesel was $6.38 September 28. That’s down slightly from $6.53 on September 21, the highest price in the Energy Information Administration’s 32 years of tracking diesel data.
Diesel prices hit a record high on September 21, up 89% from January 12.
Average weekly national retail price of diesel, March 21, 1994–September 28, 2026
The September 21 peak was 89% higher than the recent low of $3.46 on January 12. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports weekly diesel prices without adjusting for inflation. Adjusted for inflation, diesel prices last reached higher in 2022.
Why is diesel so expensive right now?
According to the EIA, diesel prices are a product of the price of crude oil, retail and distribution costs, taxes, and crack spreads, which measure the difference between the price of crude oil and the price of products derived from crude oil.
Crude oil prices rose in 2026, which the agency attributes in part to the US blockade in the Strait of Hormuz and economic campaign against Iranian oil interests. The conflict between the US and Iran began in February.
President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday that the administration is considering a ban on US diesel exports.
What is the price of diesel in my state?
Diesel prices are highest in California, where the average price is $8.40 per gallon. They are lowest in Texas at $5.84 per gallon, according to data from the American Automobile Association, the private nonprofit organization. The EIA does not release data for all states.
A gallon of diesel costs an average of $8.40 in California.
Average price per gallon of diesel, September 29, 2026
California is a regular outlier for gas prices due to a confluence of factors, including environmental compliance requirements and distance from Gulf Coast refineries. The next-highest states are Washington (nearly a full dollar lower at $7.42), Hawaii ($7.20), Indiana ($6.86), and Oregon ($6.86).
Are regular gas prices rising, too?
Regular gas prices remain higher than they were during the last few years, but haven’t set a record high the way diesel has. Regular gas rose 62% from a recent low of $2.78 on January 12 to $4.50 on May 11 before dipping down in the summer. This week, the average is $4.47.
Regular gas prices are higher than recent years' averages, but lower than in 2022.
Average weekly national retail price of regular and diesel gasoline, January 6, 2020–September 28, 2026
What is diesel?
Diesel is a fuel source produced from crude oil and used as an alternative to regular gasoline for highway vehicles, trucks, commercial equipment, ships, and trains. It is the predominant fuel used in the shipping industry.
What do rising diesel costs mean?
Rising diesel costs contribute directly to inflation because they are factored into price indices. In August, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that over one third of the increase in the producer price index was attributable to diesel alone.
Rising diesel costs also impact industries indirectly. Take shipping, for example. Recent Department of Agriculture research found that rising diesel prices can contribute to higher food prices because of the reliance on diesel-powered trucks to ship agricultural products.
Continue reading about fuel and get our content in your inbox with the weekly newsletter.
Keep exploring
- How much do you pay in gas taxes? - Gas prices are nearing $6.00 a gallon in some parts of the US, while other regions pay over two dollars less at the pump. How much are taxes adding to the equation?
- What causes high gas prices? - Gas prices change based on the cost of crude oil, refining, distribution and marketing, and federal, state, and local taxes.
- How have oil prices changed in the US? - Oil prices have historically risen over time, but the last two decades have been particularly volatile.
- Are groceries more expensive than last year? - Grocery store food prices increased 2.1% from January 2025 to January 2026 – the product with the biggest jump, ground beef, went up more than 21%.
