Ohio Gas Prices and Why They Are What They Are
Prices as of October 04, 2026, per AAA · Updated October 14, 2026
As of October 04, 2026, regular gasoline in Ohio averages $3.97/gallon (the 9th-lowest in the U.S.), per AAA. $0.40 below AAA's national average of $4.37 on 2026-10-04. State fuel taxes and fees are 38.5 cents per gallon (Tax Foundation, 2026 edition). Federal gasoline tax adds 18.4 cents per gallon. In EIA's weekly survey, Ohio regular was $4.263 in the week of 2026-09-28, 41.2% higher than the same week a year earlier (nearest prior week, 2025-09-22).
How Ohio got here
EIA weekly retail regular, all formulations; EMM_EPMR_PTE_SOH_DPG and EMM_EPMR_PTE_NUS_DPG; retrieved 2026-10-04, through 2026-09-28. Monthly means pair identical weekly dates; months with fewer than three paired weeks and the current month are excluded from the chart. EIA weekly retail gasoline.
Last twelve months: paired monthly means
| Month | Ohio | U.S. | Gap | Paired weeks | Coverage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09 | $4.193 | $4.355 | $-0.161 | 4 | complete |
| 2026-08 | $3.988 | $4.058 | $-0.070 | 5 | complete |
| 2026-07 | $3.768 | $3.932 | $-0.164 | 4 | complete |
| 2026-06 | $4.006 | $4.050 | $-0.044 | 5 | complete |
| 2026-05 | $4.627 | $4.479 | $+0.147 | 4 | complete |
| 2026-04 | $3.778 | $4.103 | $-0.325 | 4 | complete |
| 2026-03 | $3.439 | $3.638 | $-0.199 | 5 | complete |
| 2026-02 | $2.758 | $2.907 | $-0.150 | 4 | complete |
| 2026-01 | $2.695 | $2.808 | $-0.114 | 4 | complete |
| 2025-12 | $2.663 | $2.894 | $-0.231 | 5 | complete |
| 2025-11 | $2.981 | $3.050 | $-0.068 | 4 | complete |
| 2025-10 | $2.910 | $3.060 | $-0.150 | 4 | complete |
Highest weekly observation, nominal dollars: $5.038 on 2022-06-13; lowest weekly observation, nominal dollars: $1.360 on 2003-12-15.
Where the $3.97 goes
| Component | $/gallon | Share | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly WTI crude proxy | $2.00 | 50.3% | EIA monthly WTI |
| Federal and Ohio fuel taxes | $0.57 | 14.3% | Tax Foundation, 2026 edition |
| Unallocated residual (after the monthly WTI crude proxy and taxes) | $1.41 | 35.4% | computed; not attributed to components |
The crude-oil share of the price is set by a world market that every state's refiners buy from; the differences between states come from taxes, fuel specifications, and refining and distribution costs. EIA: factors affecting gasoline prices.
Why Ohio is below the U.S. average
Taxes and supply costs
Ohio's state fuel tax ranks 14 among the 50 states (Tax Foundation, 2026 edition). The crude-oil share of the price is set by a world market that every state's refiners buy from; the differences between states come from taxes, fuel specifications, and refining and distribution costs. The amount after the crude proxy and taxes is the unallocated residual after crude and taxes.
What a gallon costs in work time
At Ohio's median hourly wage of $23.74 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), a gallon of regular costs 10.0 minutes of work. BLS OEWS. Compare gasoline affordability.
State policies that show up at the pump
| Policy or supply base | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Refining base | 4 operating refineries, 606,600 b/d (EIA Refinery Capacity Report 2026, as of 2026-01-01) | Source |
State government control
| Control in 2026 | Unified Republican |
| Years of unified Democratic control, 2001–2026 | 0 |
| Years of unified Republican control | 22 |
| Years of split government | 4 |
Party control by year from Ballotpedia, compiled 2026-09-08; counts computed at build. Ballotpedia.
Questions people ask
How does Ohio compare with the U.S. this week?
$0.40 below AAA's national average of $4.37 on 2026-10-04.
What share of the price is tax?
Combined state and federal taxes are 14.3% of regular (Tax Foundation, 2026 edition).
What does diesel cost in Ohio?
AAA diesel averages $6.43 as of October 04, 2026.
Compare: all states ranked · Ohio electricity rates · gasoline prices by country · refining · why gas prices are high.
Sources: AAA (pump prices), Tax Foundation, 2026 edition, EIA federal gasoline tax, EIA monthly WTI, EIA weekly retail gasoline, and BLS OEWS. The residual is computed, not attributed to components. See methodology.