Pennsylvania Gas Tax
Pennsylvania has the highest gas tax in the U.S. at $0.576 per gallon, but the total gas price per gallon remains close to the national average of $3.78.
Pennsylvania currently has the highest state-level fuel tax in the United States at $0.576 cents per gallon. Combined with the federal fuel excise tax of 18.4 cents per gallon, taxes account for nearly 20% of the cost of a gallon of regular gas in the Keystone State.
Gas taxes hit Penssyvanians hard in 2022. The start of the year saw worrying increases in fuel costs across the nation, coinciding with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Rising COVID numbers and an unstable economy have also played their part in record-high gas prices. However, despite Pennsylvania having the highest gas tax, overall fuel costs per gallon are right in stride with the national average of $3.78.
Reading the statistics on gas tax in Pennsylvania can be troubling, but
car insurance
comparison specialist Jerry
is here to help you out. In this article, we’ll talk about where the gas tax has been and where it might be headed—plus a few tips on how to save on fuel costs and Pennsylvania car insurance
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How much is the Pennsylvania gas tax?
Pennsylvania may be paying a higher gas tax than every other state, but that doesn’t mean they have the most expensive gas prices. The state excise tax on gas in Pennsylvania has always been among the costliest in the nation, but 2022 saw the rate increase to a record-breaking level when it reached $0.59 per gallon in June.
That number has come down slightly in recent months, settling at $.576 excise tax for a gallon of regular gas. Pennsylvania’s tax rate is just ahead of California’s, whose current gas tax sits at $0.539. Although the tax is a bit lower in California, the price of gas there far surpasses any other state at an unsettling $6.18 per gallon, while the average price per gallon in Pennsylvania is currently at $3.781.
Drivers in Pennsylvania have spent the better part of 2022 paying well over $4.00 a gallon for regular gas. In June of this year, gas prices surged nationwide with nearly every state hitting peak prices. Pennsylvania’s average fuel costs hit $5.07 per gallon on June 12, 2022—the highest price on record for the state.
Is gas tax relief on the way in Pennsylvania?
It’s hard to say. This past spring, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf and other state legislators made public statements in support of a federal gas tax holiday, which President Biden is also in favor of. Pennsylvania State Senator Jake Corman introduced
Senate Bill 10
to the Pennsylvania General Assembly, which proposed cutting the state gas tax by nearly one-third for the duration of 2022.Despite these calls to slash or suspend the gas tax in Pennsylvania, legislation has yet to pass. On the positive, gas prices have been steadily decreasing since the summer, mostly due to the decreasing cost of crude oil.
How high are gas prices in Pennsylvania?
According to data from AAA, Pennsylvania’s average cost for a regular gallon of gas is $3.781, less than one cent shy of the national average of $3.782.
Keep in mind that Pennsylvania is a large state and the average price of gas fluctuates depending on which part of the state you’re fueling up. AAA’s data indicates that the most expensive gas prices are in the northwestern parts of the state like McKean County where gas is averaging $3.956 a gallon.
The cheapest region for gas is the eastern border of the state—from Philadelphia and its surrounding areas in the southeast all the way up to Wayne and Pike Counties. Prices in these areas range from $3.614 to $3.717 per gallon.
More affordable gas in these areas is certainly a welcome reprieve seeing as vehicle-related expenses here are among Pennsylvania’s highest. For instance, the average cost of full coverage
car insurance in Philadelphia
in 2022 is around $2,134—that’s 85% higher than the state average. To paint a clearer picture of how average gas prices fluctuate throughout Pennsylvania, let’s look at AAA’s data on the average gas prices in some of Pennsylvania’s other metro areas:
- Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton: $3.661 per gallon (vs $3.296 in September 2021)
- Harrisburg: $3.798 per gallon (vs $3.322 in September 2021)
- Pittsburgh: $$3.888 per gallon (vs $3.337 in September 2021)
- Scranton/Wilkes-Barre/Hazelton: $3.769 per gallon (vs $3.332 in September 2021)
Which state has the highest gas tax?
We already know that Pennsylvania tops the list, but what’s the gas tax like in other states? The table below shows how other states compare tax-wise to Pennsylvania as of September 2022.
State | Gas tax |
|---|---|
Alabama | $0.28 per gallon |
Alaska | $0.0895 per gallon |
Arizona | $0.18 per gallon |
Arkansas | $0.245 per gallon |
California | $0.539 per gallon |
Colorado | $0.22 per gallon |
Connecticut | $0.0 per gallon |
Delaware | $0.23 per gallon |
District of Columbia | $0.235 per gallon |
Florida | $0.33 per gallon |
Georgia | $0.0 per gallon |
Hawaii | $0.16 per gallon |
Idaho | $0.32 per gallon |
Illinois | $0.392 per gallon |
Indiana | $0.33 per gallon |
Iowa | $0.24 to $0.305 per gallon |
Kansas | $0.240 per gallon |
Kentucky | $0.246 per gallon |
Louisiana | $0.20 per gallon |
Maine | $0.30 per gallon |
Maryland | $0.427 per gallon |
Massachusetts | $0.24 per gallon |
Michigan | $0.272 per gallon |
Minnesota | $0.285 per gallon |
Mississippi | $0.18 per gallon |
Missouri | $0.22 per gallon |
Montana | $0.33 per gallon |
Nebraska | $0.248 per gallon |
Nevada | $0.23 per gallon |
New Hampshire | $0.222 per gallon |
New Jersey | $0.421 per gallon |
New Mexico | $0.17 per gallon |
New York | $0.1735 per gallon |
North Carolina | $0.385 per gallon |
North Dakota | $0.230 per gallon |
Ohio | $0.385 per gallon |
Oklahoma | $0.19 per gallon |
Oregon | $0.38 per gallon |
Pennsylvania | $0.576 per gallon |
Rhode Island | $0.34 per gallon |
South Carolina | $0.28 per gallon |
South Dakota | $0.28 per gallon |
Tennessee | $0.26 per gallon |
Texas | $0.20 per gallon |
Utah | $0.319 per gallon |
Vermont | $0.316 per gallon |
Virginia | $0.28 per gallon |
Washington | $0.494 per gallon |
West Virginia | $0.357 per gallon |
Wisconsin | $0.309 per gallon |
Wyoming | $0.24 per gallon |
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How to save on fuel and insurance costs in Pennsylvania
If you live and drive in Pennsylvania, expensive gas tax may be unavoidable, but you can save money on gas by being conscious of your driving behaviors. By not over-idling, following
a regular maintenance schedule
, and even using public transportation when possible you could lower your monthly fuel expenses. Another great way to save on the overall cost of car ownership is to shop for
car insurance
with Jerry
. The app is free and signing up takes just a minute. After that, you’ll get to browse a personalized list of the cheapest online quotes from over 55 of Jerry’s partnering companies that could lead to savings of over $800 on your annual car insurance. “I wanted to stick with only the insurance my state requires for now.Jerryhelped me save $75 a month on my premium!” —Nora H.
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