According to the Federal Highway Administration, the average fuel economy for all light vehicles on the road today is 21.4 miles per gallon (mpg). A person owning a gasoline vehicle with that fuel efficiency pays between $137 and $296 in fuel taxes each year, depending upon the state in which the fuel is purchased. The Federal tax on gasoline is 18.4 cents per gallon, and each state has a gasoline tax ranging from 7.5 cents in Georgia to 37.5 cents in the state of Washington. Since taxes are based on a per-gallon rate, someone with a more efficient vehicle will pay less in taxes over the course of a year and someone with a less efficient vehicle will pay more.
Average Annual Gasoline Tax Paid per Vehicle
Notes:
Includes Federal and State taxes on gasoline.
Assumptions: 11,318 annual miles of travel and 21.4 miles per gallon.
Supporting Information
State | Average Annual Gasoline Tax Paid (Dollars) |
---|---|
Georgia | $137 |
Alaska | $140 |
New Jersey | $153 |
Wyoming | $172 |
South Carolina | $182 |
Florida | $183 |
Hawaii | $188 |
Missouri | $188 |
Oklahoma | $188 |
Virginia | $190 |
Alabama | $193 |
Arizona | $193 |
California | $193 |
Indiana | $193 |
Mississippi | $195 |
New Mexico | $197 |
Illinois | $198 |
Michigan | $198 |
New Hampshire | $201 |
Louisiana | $203 |
Tennessee | $203 |
Texas | $203 |
Vermont | $203 |
Iowa | $209 |
Massachusetts | $209 |
Arkansas | $211 |
Colorado | $214 |
South Dakota | $214 |
Delaware | $219 |
North Dakota | $219 |
D.C. | $222 |
Maryland | $222 |
Kansas | $225 |
Nevada | $225 |
Utah | $227 |
Connecticut | $230 |
Idaho | $230 |
New York | $230 |
Nebraska | $237 |
Kentucky | $237 |
Montana | $244 |
Minnesota | $246 |
Ohio | $246 |
Maine | $254 |
Oregon | $256 |
Wisconsin | $261 |
Pennsylvania | $263 |
Rhode Island | $267 |
West Virginia | $268 |
North Carolina | $284 |
Washington | $296 |
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Highway Statistics 2011, Tables MF-121T, VM-1, and FE-21B. |