U.S. Gas Prices Reach $4.46: What the Increase Means for Inflation and Household Costs

The national gasoline average moved sharply higher in September, but the most useful number depends on exactly what is being measured.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration, or EIA, reported a weekly all-grades average of $4.455 per gallon for September 14, 2026. That was up from $4.295 one week earlier and $4.207 on August 31.

Rounded to the nearest cent, the EIA figure was $4.46 per gallon. It covers all gasoline grades and includes taxes. Daily reports for regular gasoline may show a different number, so the grade, date, and methodology should always appear beside a headline price.

Data check: Prices and petroleum data were reviewed on September 18, 2026. Fuel prices vary by day, grade, station, and location. This article provides education, not individualized financial advice.

How large was the increase?

The EIA's national all-grades series rose by 16 cents per gallon in one week, an increase of about 3.7%. Compared with August 31, the increase was 24.8 cents, or about 5.9%.

For a simple illustration, a 15-gallon fill-up at $4.455 costs about $66.83. At the September 7 average, the same volume would have cost about $64.43. The difference is approximately $2.40 per fill-up.

That example is arithmetic, not a forecast of any household's spending. Actual costs depend on fuel grade, vehicle efficiency, mileage, and local prices.

The national average hides a wide regional range

EIA data for September 14 show why a single national figure may not resemble the price on a particular street:

Regional differences can reflect state taxes, fuel specifications, refinery and pipeline access, distribution costs, and local supply conditions. The West Coast is relatively isolated from major refining centers elsewhere in the country, while the Gulf Coast sits near a large share of U.S. refining capacity.

The table uses the same EIA product definition throughout. Mixing it with a regular-only daily series would create an inaccurate comparison.

What does the latest supply report show?

No single weekly statistic fully explains a retail-price move. The EIA's petroleum report for the week ending September 11 provides useful context:

• U.S. refineries processed 17.3 million barrels per day, down 256,000 barrels per day from the previous week.
• Gasoline production averaged 9.6 million barrels per day.
• Total motor-gasoline inventories rose by 0.8 million barrels but remained 5% below the five-year average.
• Four-week average gasoline product supplied was 8.8 million barrels per day, 1.0% below the comparable year-earlier period.

The combination is more nuanced than “demand went up” or “supply went down.” Inventories increased during the week, yet remained low relative to their five-year range. Refinery throughput also declined from the prior week. Retail prices can additionally reflect earlier changes in wholesale gasoline, crude oil, transportation, and local market conditions.

For the distinction between crude benchmarks and finished fuel, see WTI vs. Brent. Finelo's diesel and crack-spread explainer covers how refining economics can cause fuel prices to move differently from crude.