Statewide average updated daily • Source: AAA
Washington D.C. gas prices consistently rank among the most expensive in the country, typically running 40 to 70 cents above the national average. The District combines high local fuel taxes with the cost of operating retail businesses in one of the most expensive real estate markets in the country, a reformulated fuel requirement, and a small and dense urban market with limited space for gas stations that reduces competition. For the many D.C. residents who do own cars, high gas prices are a consistent feature of daily life — though the District’s extensive Metro system means a larger share of residents than almost anywhere else in the country can avoid the pump entirely.
Washington D.C. imposes its own fuel taxes as a jurisdiction — approximately 23 cents per gallon in motor fuel tax plus additional fees that bring the total D.C. tax burden to around 40 cents per gallon before the federal tax is added. The high cost of operating any retail business in D.C. — driven by among the most expensive commercial real estate in the country and high minimum wages — means gas station operators require wider margins than suburban or rural operators to remain profitable.
D.C. receives fuel via pipeline connections from the broader Mid-Atlantic supply network and from terminals in the Baltimore and Northern Virginia area. Reformulated fuel is required throughout the District as part of the broader Washington metro area air quality program.
The number of gas stations in D.C. is extremely limited relative to the population — land in the District is too valuable for the large footprint a gas station requires, and many neighborhoods have no station within walking distance. This scarcity reduces competitive pressure and allows existing stations to maintain higher margins.
Did you know? Washington D.C. has one of the lowest rates of car ownership of any major city in the United States — approximately 36 percent of D.C. households have no vehicle — driven by the extensive Metro system, walkable neighborhoods, and the enormous federal government workforce concentrated downtown. The number of gas stations in D.C. has declined dramatically over the past two decades as land values have made station sites far more valuable for residential and commercial development. The Washington Metro system — the second busiest rapid transit system in the United States after New York City’s subway — covers 98 stations across D.C., Maryland, and Virginia and is the primary commuting option for a large share of the region’s workforce.
Compare today’s average in District of Columbia with nearby states to understand regional price differences.
Learn more about what drives gas prices across the United States.
Crude oil prices are the biggest driver of what you pay at the pump. For U.S. and global crude oil production data updated from EIA figures, see Oil Production Live.