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
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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. | |