Gas in California averaged $2.73 in 2016 — $3.66 in today’s money
Average, that year
$2.73
In 2025 dollars
$3.66
The average price of a gallon of regular gasoline in California across 2016, 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 2016
Weekly average for regular gasoline. The year’s high was $2.93 the week of June 27, 2016; the low was $2.29 the week of February 22, 2016 — a swing of 27.6%.
View the weekly data (52 weeks)
| Week of | Nominal | 2025 $ |
|---|---|---|
| January 4, 2016 | $2.88 | $3.89 |
| January 11, 2016 | $2.84 | $3.85 |
| January 18, 2016 | $2.71 | $3.67 |
| January 25, 2016 | $2.64 | $3.58 |
| February 1, 2016 | $2.55 | $3.46 |
| February 8, 2016 | $2.49 | $3.37 |
| February 15, 2016 | $2.38 | $3.23 |
| February 22, 2016 | $2.29 | $3.11 |
| February 29, 2016 | $2.41 | $3.26 |
| March 7, 2016 | $2.44 | $3.30 |
| March 14, 2016 | $2.60 | $3.51 |
| March 21, 2016 | $2.68 | $3.63 |
| March 28, 2016 | $2.78 | $3.76 |
| April 4, 2016 | $2.78 | $3.74 |
| April 11, 2016 | $2.75 | $3.70 |
| April 18, 2016 | $2.77 | $3.73 |
| April 25, 2016 | $2.77 | $3.74 |
| May 2, 2016 | $2.81 | $3.78 |
| May 9, 2016 | $2.79 | $3.74 |
| May 16, 2016 | $2.79 | $3.75 |
| May 23, 2016 | $2.80 | $3.77 |
| May 30, 2016 | $2.81 | $3.78 |
| June 6, 2016 | $2.84 | $3.81 |
| June 13, 2016 | $2.86 | $3.84 |
| June 20, 2016 | $2.87 | $3.84 |
| June 27, 2016 | $2.93 | $3.93 |
| July 4, 2016 | $2.91 | $3.90 |
| July 11, 2016 | $2.87 | $3.84 |
| July 18, 2016 | $2.86 | $3.83 |
| July 25, 2016 | $2.79 | $3.74 |
| August 1, 2016 | $2.73 | $3.65 |
| August 8, 2016 | $2.68 | $3.59 |
| August 15, 2016 | $2.64 | $3.54 |
| August 22, 2016 | $2.70 | $3.62 |
| August 29, 2016 | $2.71 | $3.63 |
| September 5, 2016 | $2.71 | $3.61 |
| September 12, 2016 | $2.75 | $3.68 |
| September 19, 2016 | $2.76 | $3.69 |
| September 26, 2016 | $2.76 | $3.69 |
| October 3, 2016 | $2.81 | $3.74 |
| October 10, 2016 | $2.80 | $3.73 |
| October 17, 2016 | $2.81 | $3.74 |
| October 24, 2016 | $2.80 | $3.73 |
| October 31, 2016 | $2.82 | $3.76 |
| November 7, 2016 | $2.81 | $3.74 |
| November 14, 2016 | $2.75 | $3.66 |
| November 21, 2016 | $2.69 | $3.58 |
| November 28, 2016 | $2.67 | $3.55 |
| December 5, 2016 | $2.68 | $3.56 |
| December 12, 2016 | $2.67 | $3.54 |
| December 19, 2016 | $2.67 | $3.54 |
| December 26, 2016 | $2.71 | $3.59 |
Year over year
How 2016 compares, adjusted for inflation
2016 was California’s 22nd-most-expensive year for gas on record, adjusted for inflation — equivalently, the 6th-cheapest of 27 years (2000–2026).
Every grade
California fuel prices by grade in 2016
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 | $2.73 | $3.66 | — |
| Midgrade | $2.85 | $3.83 | +12.7¢ |
| Premium | $2.97 | $3.98 | +24.3¢ |
| Diesel | $2.65 | $3.56 | +-7.4¢ |
Common questions
California gas prices in 2016, answered
- What was the average price of gas in California in 2016?
- The average price of regular gasoline in California in 2016 was $2.73 per gallon — about $3.66 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 2016?
- California's weekly average for regular gasoline peaked at $2.93 the week of June 27, 2016 and bottomed out at $2.29 the week of February 22, 2016 — a swing of 27.6% across the year.
- Were gas prices in California higher in 2016 than in 2015?
- Adjusted for inflation, regular gasoline in California was cheaper in 2016 than in 2015, down 15.0% year over year.
- How does 2016 rank for gas prices in California history?
- Adjusted for inflation, 2016 was the 22nd-most-expensive year for regular gasoline in California out of the 27 years EIA has published weekly prices (2000–2026).