Gas in California averaged $2.47 in 2005 — $4.07 in today’s money
The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in California across 2005, shown both as it was at the pump and adjusted for inflation to constant 2025 dollars (CPI-U).
How California prices moved through 2005
Weekly average for regular gasoline. The year’s high was $3.06 the week of September 5, 2005; the low was $1.93 the week of January 10, 2005 — a swing of 58.2%.
View the weekly data (52 weeks)
| Week of | Nominal | 2025 $ |
|---|---|---|
| January 3, 2005 | $1.98 | $3.33 |
| January 10, 2005 | $1.93 | $3.25 |
| January 17, 2005 | $1.93 | $3.25 |
| January 24, 2005 | $1.96 | $3.29 |
| January 31, 2005 | $2.03 | $3.42 |
| February 7, 2005 | $2.05 | $3.44 |
| February 14, 2005 | $2.09 | $3.50 |
| February 21, 2005 | $2.15 | $3.60 |
| February 28, 2005 | $2.18 | $3.64 |
| March 7, 2005 | $2.23 | $3.72 |
| March 14, 2005 | $2.29 | $3.81 |
| March 21, 2005 | $2.31 | $3.85 |
| March 28, 2005 | $2.38 | $3.96 |
| April 4, 2005 | $2.46 | $4.10 |
| April 11, 2005 | $2.59 | $4.31 |
| April 18, 2005 | $2.58 | $4.29 |
| April 25, 2005 | $2.56 | $4.26 |
| May 2, 2005 | $2.56 | $4.26 |
| May 9, 2005 | $2.52 | $4.18 |
| May 16, 2005 | $2.47 | $4.11 |
| May 23, 2005 | $2.43 | $4.05 |
| May 30, 2005 | $2.39 | $3.98 |
| June 6, 2005 | $2.36 | $3.92 |
| June 13, 2005 | $2.33 | $3.88 |
| June 20, 2005 | $2.35 | $3.91 |
| June 27, 2005 | $2.41 | $4.01 |
| July 4, 2005 | $2.46 | $4.06 |
| July 11, 2005 | $2.52 | $4.17 |
| July 18, 2005 | $2.54 | $4.19 |
| July 25, 2005 | $2.54 | $4.20 |
| August 1, 2005 | $2.55 | $4.18 |
| August 8, 2005 | $2.60 | $4.27 |
| August 15, 2005 | $2.72 | $4.46 |
| August 22, 2005 | $2.75 | $4.51 |
| August 29, 2005 | $2.77 | $4.55 |
| September 5, 2005 | $3.06 | $4.95 |
| September 12, 2005 | $3.00 | $4.87 |
| September 19, 2005 | $2.95 | $4.78 |
| September 26, 2005 | $2.95 | $4.77 |
| October 3, 2005 | $2.97 | $4.81 |
| October 10, 2005 | $2.96 | $4.79 |
| October 17, 2005 | $2.90 | $4.69 |
| October 24, 2005 | $2.83 | $4.57 |
| October 31, 2005 | $2.75 | $4.44 |
| November 7, 2005 | $2.66 | $4.32 |
| November 14, 2005 | $2.58 | $4.20 |
| November 21, 2005 | $2.45 | $3.99 |
| November 28, 2005 | $2.41 | $3.92 |
| December 5, 2005 | $2.33 | $3.79 |
| December 12, 2005 | $2.28 | $3.70 |
| December 19, 2005 | $2.25 | $3.66 |
| December 26, 2005 | $2.23 | $3.63 |
2005: California and the national picture
2005 coincided with Hurricane Katrina and Gulf Coast refinery outages. In California, the weekly average for regular gasoline ran from a low of $1.93 (January 10, 2005) to a high of $3.06 (September 5, 2005). Adjusted for inflation, the year’s average of $4.07 ranks 18th-highest in the state’s weekly record.
How 2005 compares, adjusted for inflation
2005 was California’s 18th-most-expensive year for gas on record, adjusted for inflation — equivalently, the 10th-cheapest of 27 years (2000–2026).
California fuel prices by grade in 2005
Year-average price per grade, including diesel. Premium figures are the spread drivers paid for higher-octane fuel that year.
| Grade | Avg / gal | 2025 $ | vs. regular |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular | $2.47 | $4.07 | — |
| Midgrade | $2.57 | $4.24 | +10.2¢ |
| Premium | $2.67 | $4.40 | +19.9¢ |
| Diesel | $2.61 | $4.29 | +13.5¢ |
California gas prices in 2005, answered
- What was the average price of gas in California in 2005?
- The average price of regular gasoline in California in 2005 was $2.47 per gallon — about $4.07 in 2025 dollars after adjusting for inflation, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration weekly data.
- How high did gas prices get in California during 2005?
- California's weekly average for regular gasoline peaked at $3.06 the week of September 5, 2005 and bottomed out at $1.93 the week of January 10, 2005 — a swing of 58.2% across the year.
- Were gas prices in California higher in 2005 than in 2004?
- Adjusted for inflation, regular gasoline in California was more expensive in 2005 than in 2004, up 12.8% year over year.
- How does 2005 rank for gas prices in California history?
- Adjusted for inflation, 2005 was the 18th-most-expensive year for regular gasoline in California out of the 27 years EIA has published weekly prices (2000–2026).