Gas in California averaged $2.68 in 2009 — $4.01 in today’s money
Average, that year
$2.68
In 2025 dollars
$4.01
The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in California across 2009, shown both as it was at the pump and adjusted for inflation to constant 2025 dollars (CPI-U).
Across the year
How California prices moved through 2009
Weekly average for regular gasoline. The year’s high was $3.15 the week of September 14, 2009; the low was $1.87 the week of January 5, 2009 — a swing of 68.2%.
View the weekly data (52 weeks)
| Week of | Nominal | 2025 $ |
|---|---|---|
| January 5, 2009 | $1.87 | $2.85 |
| January 12, 2009 | $1.99 | $3.02 |
| January 19, 2009 | $2.06 | $3.14 |
| January 26, 2009 | $2.10 | $3.18 |
| February 2, 2009 | $2.11 | $3.20 |
| February 9, 2009 | $2.21 | $3.35 |
| February 16, 2009 | $2.29 | $3.47 |
| February 23, 2009 | $2.26 | $3.42 |
| March 2, 2009 | $2.19 | $3.32 |
| March 9, 2009 | $2.20 | $3.33 |
| March 16, 2009 | $2.16 | $3.28 |
| March 23, 2009 | $2.15 | $3.26 |
| March 30, 2009 | $2.25 | $3.41 |
| April 6, 2009 | $2.31 | $3.49 |
| April 13, 2009 | $2.34 | $3.54 |
| April 20, 2009 | $2.34 | $3.54 |
| April 27, 2009 | $2.34 | $3.54 |
| May 4, 2009 | $2.35 | $3.56 |
| May 11, 2009 | $2.42 | $3.66 |
| May 18, 2009 | $2.52 | $3.81 |
| May 25, 2009 | $2.64 | $3.99 |
| June 1, 2009 | $2.76 | $4.13 |
| June 8, 2009 | $2.89 | $4.33 |
| June 15, 2009 | $2.98 | $4.47 |
| June 22, 2009 | $3.00 | $4.50 |
| June 29, 2009 | $2.98 | $4.47 |
| July 6, 2009 | $2.95 | $4.43 |
| July 13, 2009 | $2.88 | $4.32 |
| July 20, 2009 | $2.83 | $4.24 |
| July 27, 2009 | $2.83 | $4.24 |
| August 3, 2009 | $2.90 | $4.33 |
| August 10, 2009 | $3.04 | $4.54 |
| August 17, 2009 | $3.05 | $4.55 |
| August 24, 2009 | $3.03 | $4.53 |
| August 31, 2009 | $3.04 | $4.54 |
| September 7, 2009 | $3.10 | $4.62 |
| September 14, 2009 | $3.15 | $4.70 |
| September 21, 2009 | $3.14 | $4.68 |
| September 28, 2009 | $3.10 | $4.62 |
| October 5, 2009 | $3.07 | $4.56 |
| October 12, 2009 | $3.02 | $4.48 |
| October 19, 2009 | $2.99 | $4.44 |
| October 26, 2009 | $2.98 | $4.44 |
| November 2, 2009 | $2.99 | $4.43 |
| November 9, 2009 | $2.98 | $4.42 |
| November 16, 2009 | $2.96 | $4.39 |
| November 23, 2009 | $2.94 | $4.36 |
| November 30, 2009 | $2.92 | $4.33 |
| December 7, 2009 | $2.91 | $4.31 |
| December 14, 2009 | $2.90 | $4.30 |
| December 21, 2009 | $2.91 | $4.31 |
| December 28, 2009 | $2.93 | $4.34 |
Year over year
How 2009 compares, adjusted for inflation
2009 was California’s 19th-most-expensive year for gas on record, adjusted for inflation — equivalently, the 9th-cheapest of 27 years (2000–2026).
Every grade
California fuel prices by grade in 2009
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 | $2.68 | $4.01 | — |
| Midgrade | $2.79 | $4.17 | +10.7¢ |
| Premium | $2.89 | $4.33 | +20.9¢ |
| Diesel | $2.61 | $3.91 | +-7.1¢ |
Common questions
California gas prices in 2009, answered
- What was the average price of gas in California in 2009?
- The average price of regular gasoline in California in 2009 was $2.68 per gallon — about $4.01 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 2009?
- California's weekly average for regular gasoline peaked at $3.15 the week of September 14, 2009 and bottomed out at $1.87 the week of January 5, 2009 — a swing of 68.2% across the year.
- Were gas prices in California higher in 2009 than in 2008?
- Adjusted for inflation, regular gasoline in California was cheaper in 2009 than in 2008, down 23.4% year over year.
- How does 2009 rank for gas prices in California history?
- Adjusted for inflation, 2009 was the 19th-most-expensive year for regular gasoline in California out of the 27 years EIA has published weekly prices (2000–2026).