Gas price forecast 2026–2027
Where U.S. gasoline and diesel prices are expected to go, month by month, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Short-Term Energy Outlook (November 2026 edition).
Months after October 2026 are EIA forecasts; earlier months are actual averages.
Month-by-month forecast
| Month | Regular gasoline | Diesel | Brent crude |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2026 (actual) | $4.06 | $5.46 | $91/bbl |
| September 2026 (actual) | $4.35 | $6.29 | $114/bbl |
| October 2026 (actual) | $4.40 | $6.27 | $111/bbl |
| November 2026 | $4.20 | $5.79 | $104/bbl |
| December 2026 | $3.86 | $5.34 | $99/bbl |
| January 2027 | $3.72 | $5.06 | $97/bbl |
| February 2027 | $3.65 | $4.91 | $95/bbl |
| March 2027 | $3.74 | $4.80 | $93/bbl |
| April 2027 | $3.78 | $4.67 | $90/bbl |
| May 2027 | $3.77 | $4.58 | $87/bbl |
| June 2027 | $3.72 | $4.45 | $84/bbl |
| July 2027 | $3.65 | $4.36 | $82/bbl |
| August 2027 | $3.57 | $4.28 | $80/bbl |
| September 2027 | $3.45 | $4.25 | $78/bbl |
| October 2027 | $3.37 | $4.22 | $76/bbl |
| November 2027 | $3.25 | $4.21 | $74/bbl |
| December 2027 | $3.11 | $4.11 | $72/bbl |
What the forecast says
EIA expects regular gasoline to average $3.90 a gallon in 2026 and $3.56 in 2027, with Brent crude oil averaging about $84 a barrel next year. Prices usually follow a seasonal pattern: they rise in spring as refiners switch to more expensive summer-blend gasoline and driving picks up, peak around early summer, and fall in autumn and winter.
What moves gas prices
- Crude oil – roughly half of the pump price. A $10 change in the price of a barrel of crude moves gasoline by about 24 cents a gallon over time.
- Refining margins – refinery outages, maintenance and hurricanes on the Gulf Coast can raise prices quickly, especially in California and the Midwest.
- Taxes – the federal tax is 18.4 cents a gallon; state taxes range widely. See gas taxes by state.
- Distribution and marketing – station costs and competition explain why prices differ even within one city.
How to use the forecast
A forecast won’t tell you where to fill up today. For that, compare today’s prices and prices by state, follow the weekly gas price news, and plan longer drives with the road trip gas calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Will gas prices go down in 2027?
According to the EIA’s November 2026 Short-Term Energy Outlook, regular gasoline is expected to average $3.56 a gallon in 2027, compared with $3.90 in 2026. Forecasts change every month as crude oil prices move.
What will gas cost next month?
EIA forecasts an average of $4.20 a gallon for regular gasoline in November 2026; the latest weekly national average is $4.153.
What is the diesel price forecast?
EIA expects on-highway diesel to average $4.49 a gallon in 2027 after $5.20 in 2026.
How accurate are gas price forecasts?
Not very, beyond a few months. EIA’s own confidence ranges are wide because gasoline prices follow crude oil, which reacts to OPEC+ decisions, the economy, conflicts and refinery outages. Treat the forecast as a baseline, not a promise.
Who makes this forecast?
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the statistical agency of the Department of Energy, publishes the Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) once a month with forecasts for the current and next calendar year.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook (public domain). Forecasts are updated monthly; this page refreshes automatically.