Fuel is the single biggest variable cost in trucking. This page shows the average diesel price in every U.S. state and the fuel cost per mile it works out to for a typical truck — ranked, plus the latest official EIA regional prices, and recalculated live for your own MPG.
| # | State | Avg diesel $/gal | Fuel cost / mile | vs U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $6.78 | $1.043 | +$1.65 |
| 2 | California | $6.47 | $0.996 | +$1.34 |
| 3 | Washington | $5.73 | $0.882 | +$0.60 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $5.64 | $0.868 | +$0.51 |
| 5 | New York | $5.48 | $0.843 | +$0.35 |
| 6 | Maine | $5.47 | $0.842 | +$0.34 |
| 7 | Indiana | $5.35 | $0.823 | +$0.22 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $5.33 | $0.820 | +$0.20 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $5.33 | $0.820 | +$0.20 |
| 10 | Vermont | $5.32 | $0.818 | +$0.19 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $5.31 | $0.817 | +$0.18 |
| 12 | Illinois | $5.28 | $0.812 | +$0.15 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $5.27 | $0.811 | +$0.14 |
| 14 | Rhode Island | $5.27 | $0.811 | +$0.14 |
| 15 | Maryland | $5.20 | $0.800 | +$0.07 |
| 16 | Michigan | $5.19 | $0.798 | +$0.06 |
| 17 | Ohio | $5.16 | $0.794 | +$0.03 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $5.16 | $0.794 | +$0.03 |
| 19 | Delaware | $5.12 | $0.788 | −$0.01 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $5.09 | $0.783 | −$0.04 |
| 21 | Alabama | $5.09 | $0.783 | −$0.04 |
| 22 | Florida | $5.08 | $0.782 | −$0.05 |
| 23 | Idaho | $5.07 | $0.780 | −$0.06 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $5.07 | $0.780 | −$0.06 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $5.07 | $0.780 | −$0.06 |
| 26 | Oregon | $5.01 | $0.771 | −$0.12 |
| 27 | Iowa | $5.01 | $0.771 | −$0.12 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $5.01 | $0.771 | −$0.12 |
| 29 | Virginia | $4.99 | $0.768 | −$0.14 |
| 30 | Georgia | $4.97 | $0.765 | −$0.16 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $4.95 | $0.762 | −$0.18 |
| 32 | Utah | $4.94 | $0.760 | −$0.19 |
| 33 | Nevada | $4.92 | $0.757 | −$0.21 |
| 34 | Wisconsin | $4.92 | $0.757 | −$0.21 |
| 35 | South Dakota | $4.92 | $0.757 | −$0.21 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $4.90 | $0.754 | −$0.23 |
| 37 | North Carolina | $4.90 | $0.754 | −$0.23 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $4.90 | $0.754 | −$0.23 |
| 39 | Montana | $4.89 | $0.752 | −$0.24 |
| 40 | Nebraska | $4.88 | $0.751 | −$0.25 |
| 41 | Colorado | $4.86 | $0.748 | −$0.27 |
| 42 | Louisiana | $4.86 | $0.748 | −$0.27 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $4.85 | $0.746 | −$0.28 |
| 44 | Kentucky | $4.82 | $0.742 | −$0.31 |
| 45 | Kansas | $4.82 | $0.742 | −$0.31 |
| 46 | Texas | $4.80 | $0.738 | −$0.33 |
| 47 | Missouri | $4.76 | $0.732 | −$0.37 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $4.72 | $0.726 | −$0.41 |
| 49 | Oklahoma | $4.64 | $0.714 | −$0.49 |
| 50 | Alaska | $4.60 | $0.708 | −$0.53 |
| 51 | Arizona | $4.59 | $0.706 | −$0.54 |
The state figures above are estimates re-anchored to current regional levels. The U.S. EIA also publishes an authoritative weekly diesel average for the nation and its five regional PADD districts. Here is the latest release — with the change from the prior week and the fuel cost per mile it implies at 6.5 mpg:
| Region (PADD) | Avg diesel $/gal | Change vs prior week | Fuel cost / mile |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. average | $5.134 | +$0.338 | $0.790 |
| East Coast (PADD 1) | $5.194 | +$0.300 | $0.799 |
| Midwest (PADD 2) | $4.988 | +$0.329 | $0.767 |
| Gulf Coast (PADD 3) | $4.942 | +$0.396 | $0.760 |
| Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) | $4.935 | +$0.335 | $0.759 |
| West Coast (PADD 5) | $5.877 | +$0.327 | $0.904 |
West Coast excluding California averages $5.362; California alone is $6.471 (+$0.345 on the week). Source: U.S. EIA Gasoline & Diesel Fuel Update, week of July 20, 2026.
Diesel is climbing fast. The national average jumped about 34¢ in the last week to $5.134 — on top of a 22¢ rise the week before — and now sits about $1.32 above a year ago. Every region rose, led by the Gulf Coast (+40¢), which erased much of its usual price advantage. Higher diesel pushes your fuel cost per mile up with it — a 56¢/gal rise since early July is about $0.086/mile at 6.5 mpg, or roughly $8,600 a year on 100,000 miles. Turn a diesel price into a rate adjustment with the fuel surcharge calculator, and reconcile fuel tax across states with the IFTA calculator.
Fuel cost per mile = diesel price ÷ your miles per gallon. At 6.5 mpg, a $0.30/gal swing between states is worth about $0.046/mile — on 100,000 miles a year that's $4,615. Where you fuel matters, but so does your truck: a reefer or a heavy flatbed load drops your MPG and pushes every number here up. Plug your real MPG above, then run a full all-in number (fuel + fixed + maintenance + your pay) in the cost-per-mile calculator. If you buy fuel on a discount network, the fuel card savings calculator shows what a few cents off per gallon is worth over a year.
As of this data, the priciest diesel is in Hawaii (~$6.78), California (~$6.47), and Washington (~$5.73); the lowest modeled averages are now scattered across the interior and desert Southwest — Arizona (~$4.59), Alaska (~$4.60), and Oklahoma (~$4.64) — after July's sharp Gulf Coast run-up narrowed that region's usual discount. That's about a $2.19/gal spread between the most and least expensive states — roughly $0.337/mile at 6.5 mpg. The pattern still tracks EIA's regional data: the West Coast (PADD 5) runs highest, while the Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) and Gulf Coast (PADD 3) regions now sit lowest, near $4.94.
After July 2026's sharp Gulf Coast run-up, the lowest modeled state averages are now Arizona (~$4.59/gal), Alaska, and Oklahoma, with much of the interior South near $4.80. By EIA region, the Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) and Gulf Coast (PADD 3) districts are lowest at about $4.94 for the week of July 20, 2026. Fueling in low-price states along your route is one of the simplest ways to cut cost per mile.
Divide the pump price by your MPG. At 6.5 mpg, $5.13 diesel = $0.790/mile in fuel alone; $5.50 diesel = $0.846/mile. Use the calculator above to see it for your truck.
Yes — IFTA reconciles fuel tax by the miles you run in each jurisdiction, not just where you buy. Buying cheaper fuel still lowers your out-of-pocket cost, but your tax is settled by mileage per state. Run the numbers in the IFTA fuel-tax calculator.
By EIA's latest weekly data (week of July 20, 2026), diesel is lowest in the Rocky Mountain (PADD 4, $4.94) and Gulf Coast (PADD 3, $4.94) regions and most expensive on the West Coast (PADD 5) at $5.88, pulled up by California at $6.47. The Midwest ($4.99) and East Coast ($5.19) sit near the U.S. average of $5.13.
No — it has spiked. The U.S. on-highway average rose about 34¢ in the past week to $5.134/gal (week of July 20, 2026), up roughly 56¢ over two weeks, and runs about $1.32 above a year ago. EIA updates the national and regional averages every Monday.
A fuel surcharge is the diesel price above a set base (often about $1.20/gal) divided by an assumed MPG (often 6.0). At $5.13 diesel with a $1.20 base and 6.0 MPG, that's ($5.13−$1.20)/6 ≈ $0.66/mile. Our fuel surcharge calculator does it for your own base and MPG.
The regional table is EIA data direct (U.S. and PADD 1–5 on-highway diesel, week of July 20, 2026). State figures use AAA state-to-state relativities re-anchored to each state's current EIA regional (PADD) level and the U.S. national average of $5.134/gal; California is pinned to EIA's California reading of $6.471. Fuel cost per mile is computed as price ÷ MPG (default 6.5 mpg, a common loaded Class-8 figure). Diesel prices change daily; the relative gaps between states stay fairly stable, and EIA updates the national and regional averages weekly (Mondays). Sources: AAA State Gas Price Averages, U.S. EIA Gasoline & Diesel Update. Last updated July 28, 2026 (state table re-anchored to EIA regional levels, week of July 20, 2026).
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