Mono County, California had the most expensive regular gasoline of the 3,113 US counties in DataPorium's daily local gas prices on October 12, 2026, at $7.252 a gallon, and all 20 of the priciest counties were in California [1][3]. At the other end, Georgia held 13 of the 21 cheapest counties, led by Lee County at $3.623; only Monroe County, West Virginia was lower, at $3.599 after a one-day drop of 46.7 cents [1][2]. The gap between Lee County and Mono County was $3.629 a gallon, while the national average for regular was $4.356 [1].
Which counties have the cheapest gas?
The table lists the counties with the lowest average price of regular gasoline on October 12, 2026, with the difference from their own state's average on the same day. Ranks 1 to 20 cover 21 counties because two counties tie at rank 20 [1].
| Rank | County | State | Regular | vs state average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monroe County* | West Virginia | $3.599 | -$0.664 |
| 2 | Lee County | Georgia | $3.623 | -$0.182 |
| 3 | Decatur County | Georgia | $3.629 | -$0.176 |
| 3 | Schley County | Georgia | $3.629 | -$0.176 |
| 5 | Comal County | Texas | $3.635 | -$0.184 |
| 6 | Dubois County | Indiana | $3.639 | -$0.268 |
| 7 | Catoosa County | Georgia | $3.653 | -$0.152 |
| 7 | Pickens County | Georgia | $3.653 | -$0.152 |
| 9 | Crisp County | Georgia | $3.656 | -$0.149 |
| 9 | Orange County | Indiana | $3.656 | -$0.251 |
| 11 | Guadalupe County | Texas | $3.662 | -$0.157 |
| 12 | McDuffie County | Georgia | $3.671 | -$0.134 |
| 13 | Morgan County | Georgia | $3.676 | -$0.129 |
| 14 | Henry County | Georgia | $3.683 | -$0.122 |
| 15 | Baldwin County | Georgia | $3.684 | -$0.121 |
| 16 | Peach County | Georgia | $3.686 | -$0.119 |
| 16 | Henderson County | Kentucky | $3.686 | -$0.338 |
| 16 | Coryell County | Texas | $3.686 | -$0.133 |
| 19 | Washington County | Georgia | $3.690 | -$0.115 |
| 20 | Laurens County | Georgia | $3.692 | -$0.113 |
| 20 | Martin County | Indiana | $3.692 | -$0.215 |
Source: DataPorium's daily local gas prices, county and state averages of regular gasoline in US dollars per gallon, October 12, 2026 [1]. *Monroe County's price fell 46.7 cents from $4.066 the day before, an unusually large one-day move for a county average; it may reflect few price reports.
Georgia had the cheapest state average on October 12, 2026, at $3.805, so its counties dominate the list [1][2]. Texas placed three counties in the top 20 (Comal, Guadalupe and Coryell), and Indiana three, led by Dubois County [1]. Large suburban counties also priced low: Collin County, Texas averaged $3.703, Travis County, Texas $3.737 and Gwinnett County, Georgia $3.779 [1].
Which counties have the most expensive gas?
Every one of the 20 most expensive counties was in California, and all 58 California counties averaged more than $6.00 a gallon for regular [1][3]. Mono County led at $7.252, 94.4 cents above the California average of $6.308 [1].
| Rank | County | Regular | vs California average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mono County | $7.252 | +$0.944 |
| 2 | Alpine County | $6.799 | +$0.491 |
| 3 | Humboldt County | $6.768 | +$0.460 |
| 4 | Nevada County | $6.646 | +$0.338 |
| 5 | Sierra County | $6.624 | +$0.316 |
| 6 | Mariposa County | $6.543 | +$0.235 |
| 7 | Modoc County | $6.537 | +$0.229 |
| 8 | San Luis Obispo County | $6.515 | +$0.207 |
| 9 | Sonoma County | $6.500 | +$0.192 |
| 10 | Monterey County | $6.488 | +$0.180 |
| 11 | San Benito County | $6.475 | +$0.167 |
| 12 | San Mateo County | $6.468 | +$0.160 |
| 13 | Siskiyou County | $6.457 | +$0.149 |
| 14 | Plumas County | $6.443 | +$0.135 |
| 15 | Inyo County | $6.426 | +$0.118 |
| 16 | San Francisco County | $6.423 | +$0.115 |
| 17 | Lake County | $6.417 | +$0.109 |
| 18 | Marin County | $6.400 | +$0.092 |
| 19 | Alameda County | $6.384 | +$0.076 |
| 20 | El Dorado County | $6.383 | +$0.075 |
Source: DataPorium's daily local gas prices, regular gasoline in US dollars per gallon, October 12, 2026; all 20 counties are in California [1].
Small counties such as Mono, Alpine and Sierra lead the list, and four Bay Area counties are in it: San Mateo, San Francisco, Marin and Alameda [1]. The largest California counties sat closer to the state average: Los Angeles County at $6.350, San Diego County at $6.340 and Orange County at $6.281 [1].
The most expensive counties outside California
Outside California, the highest county averages were San Juan County, Washington ($6.266), Mineral County, Nevada ($6.014), Esmeralda County, Nevada ($6.009, after a 76-cent one-day jump), Kauai County, Hawaii ($5.878), Jefferson County, Washington ($5.864), Wahkiakum County, Washington ($5.849) and Pitkin County, Colorado ($5.819) [1][4]. Counting California's 58, 61 counties averaged $6.00 or more on October 12, 2026 [1].
Which states have the biggest gap between counties?
Comparing each state's cheapest and priciest county shows where the drive to the next county matters most. The table ranks states by that spread in the price of regular on October 12, 2026 [1].
| Rank | State | Counties | Cheapest county | Priciest county | Spread | State average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado | 64 | Pueblo ($4.055) | Pitkin ($5.819) | $1.764 | $4.237 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | 14 | Hampden ($4.101) | Nantucket ($5.794) | $1.693 | $4.320 |
| 3 | Nebraska | 88 | Nemaha and Pawnee ($3.899) | Thomas ($5.199) | $1.300 | $4.187 |
| 4 | Nevada | 17 | White Pine ($4.722) | Mineral ($6.014) | $1.292 | $5.445 |
| 5 | New Mexico | 33 | Curry ($3.934) | Harding ($5.209) | $1.275 | $4.395 |
| 6 | California | 58 | Imperial ($6.008) | Mono ($7.252) | $1.244 | $6.308 |
| 7 | Washington | 39 | Asotin ($5.066) | San Juan ($6.266) | $1.200 | $5.449 |
| 8 | Alaska | 16 | Juneau City and Borough ($4.716) | Kodiak Island ($5.779) | $1.063 | $5.028 |
| 9 | West Virginia | 55 | Monroe ($3.599)* | Calhoun ($4.659) | $1.060 | $4.263 |
| 10 | Wyoming | 23 | Natrona ($4.170) | Teton ($5.213) | $1.043 | $4.489 |
| 11 | Texas | 251 | Comal ($3.635) | Hudspeth ($4.624) | $0.989 | $3.819 |
| 12 | Arkansas | 75 | Greene ($3.735) | Cleveland ($4.649) | $0.914 | $3.959 |
Source: DataPorium's daily local gas prices, October 12, 2026 [1]. Counties = counties with a price in the data. Only counties priced on October 12 are compared; in Nebraska, Blaine County's newest price was from October 8 and was left out. *See the note on Monroe County above.
The smallest gaps were in states with few counties: Delaware ($0.041 across 3 counties), New Hampshire ($0.092 across 10), Rhode Island ($0.109 across 5) and Connecticut ($0.155 across 8) [1]. In Georgia, 159 counties ranged only from $3.623 in Lee County to $4.066 in Talbot County, a spread of $0.443 [1][2].
California stands apart in a different way. Its cheapest county, Imperial at $6.008, was more expensive than the priciest county in every other state except Washington and Nevada [1][3].
Which metro areas have the cheapest and most expensive gas?
DataPorium's daily local gas prices also cover 474 metro areas [1]. On October 12, 2026, the cheapest were Henderson, Kentucky ($3.686), Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, Texas ($3.709), Catoosa-Dade-Walker, Georgia ($3.709), Albany, Georgia ($3.712) and Valdosta, Georgia ($3.713) [1]. Austin-San Marcos and San Antonio, Texas followed at $3.732 and $3.734 [1].
The ten most expensive metro areas were all in California, led by San Luis Obispo-Atascadero-Paso Robles ($6.518), Santa Rosa ($6.500), Salinas ($6.464) and San Francisco ($6.454) [1]. Los Angeles-Long Beach averaged $6.351 and San Diego $6.335 [1]. Prices in the cheapest metro areas were higher than a year earlier: Henderson's regular rose 52.3% and San Antonio's 45.1% [1].
On October 12, 2026, regular gas ranged from $3.623 a gallon in Lee County, Georgia to $7.252 in Mono County, California, and all 58 California counties were above $6.00.
How we ranked
The rankings use DataPorium's daily local gas prices: average retail pump prices of regular gasoline in US dollars per gallon for every county, metro area and state, updated daily [1]. Counties have regular only. Counties are ranked by their price on October 12, 2026, the newest day in the data; a county whose newest price was from an earlier day is not used in the rankings. County averages can rest on few stations, so a single day can move them sharply; large one-day moves are flagged in the text. "vs state average" is the county price minus the state's average for the same day. This daily series is separate from the weekly government survey of retail prices and is not combined with it. The EIA notes that taxes, distance from supply, local competition and fuel blend rules explain most regional differences in pump prices [5]. State pages such as Georgia, California and Colorado show each state's cheapest and priciest county, and the DataPorium gas prices page has the full series [1][2][3][4].
Frequently asked questions
Which county has the most expensive gas in the US?
Mono County, California, at $7.252 a gallon for regular on October 12, 2026, followed by Alpine County ($6.799) and Humboldt County ($6.768), also in California [1].
Which county has the cheapest gas in the US?
Monroe County, West Virginia showed the lowest average, $3.599, after a one-day drop of 46.7 cents; next were Lee County, Georgia at $3.623 and Decatur and Schley counties, Georgia at $3.629 [1].
Why do gas prices differ so much between counties?
Local competition, operating costs, distance from supply and taxes all differ by place, according to the EIA [5]. Counties such as Mono County, California and Pitkin County, Colorado priced far above their state averages on October 12, 2026 [1].
Which metro area has the cheapest gas?
Henderson, Kentucky, at $3.686 a gallon for regular on October 12, 2026, followed by Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, Texas and Catoosa-Dade-Walker, Georgia, both at $3.709 [1].
Sources & References
- [1] DataPorium Energy, Gas Prices (DataPorium's daily local gas prices by county, metro area and state, October 12, 2026)
- [2] DataPorium Local Economy, Georgia (state gas prices with the cheapest and priciest county)
- [3] DataPorium Local Economy, California (state gas prices with the cheapest and priciest county)
- [4] DataPorium Local Economy, Colorado (state gas prices with the cheapest and priciest county)
- [5] U.S. Energy Information Administration, Regional gasoline price differences (accessed October 13, 2026)
