Gasoline

Updates

December 11, 2022: at least it's overvalued, right?

Original Post

Price of gasoline, inflation adjusted: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on the average price of a gallon of gas for every year between 1978 and 2021, and my personal "milestones" --

• 1978: $0.65 ($2.99 inflation-adjusted)
  
• 1979: $0.88 ($3.70 inflation-adjusted) 
• 1980: $1.22 ($4.51 inflation-adjusted) -- first year all training and education complete; 0-3 in USAF;
  
• 1981: $1.35 ($4.46 inflation-adjusted) 
• 1982: $1.28 ($3.90 inflation-adjusted) 
• 1983: $1.23 ($3.62 inflation-adjusted) -- USAF sends me overseas; Germany
  
• 1984: $1.20 ($3.39 inflation-adjusted) 
• 1985: $1.20 ($3.27 inflation-adjusted) 
• 1986: $0.93 ($2.44 inflation-adjusted) -- USAF sends the family to England
  
• 1987: $0.96 ($2.48 inflation-adjusted) 
• 1988: $0.96 ($2.39 inflation-adjusted) 
• 1989: $1.06 ($2.52 inflation-adjusted) 
• 1990: $1.22 ($2.75 inflation-adjusted) -- USAF sends the family back to Germany
  
• 1991: $1.20 ($2.56 inflation-adjusted) 
• 1992: $1.19 ($2.48 inflation-adjusted) 
• 1993: $1.17 ($2.36 inflation-adjusted)
  
• 1994: $1.17 ($2.30 inflation-adjusted) -- Turkey for two years
• 1995: $1.21 ($2.31 inflation-adjusted)
  
• 1996: $1.29 ($2.40 inflation-adjusted)  -- Senior officer school, Montgomery, AL
  
• 1997: $1.29 ($2.33 inflation-adjusted) 
• 1998: $1.12 ($1.99 inflation-adjusted) -- Langley AFB, VA
  
• 1999: $1.22 ($2.13 inflation-adjusted) 
• 2000: $1.56 ($2.66 inflation-adjusted) -- San Antonio, TX -- seven years until retirement
  
• 2001: $1.53 ($2.51 inflation-adjusted) 
• 2002: $1.44 ($2.34 inflation-adjusted) 
• 2003: $1.64 ($2.59 inflation-adjusted) 
• 2004: $1.92 ($2.98 inflation-adjusted) 
• 2005: $2.34 ($3.53 inflation-adjusted) 
•  2006: $2.64 ($3.83 inflation-adjusted) 
• 2007: $2.85 ($4.05 inflation-adjusted)  -- retired; multiple cities for next several years;
  
• 2008: $3.32 ($4.52 inflation-adjusted)  -- mostly San Antonio, TX; Los Angeles; and Boston;
  
• 2009: $2.40 ($3.27 inflation-adjusted) 
• 2010: $2.84 ($3.77 inflation-adjusted) 
• 2011: $3.58 ($4.67 inflation-adjusted) 
• 2012: $3.70 ($4.69 inflation-adjusted) 
• 2013: $3.58 ($4.47 inflation-adjusted) -- Texas, full-time
  
• 2014: $3.43 ($4.22 inflation-adjusted) 
• 2015: $2.51 ($3.09 inflation-adjusted) 
• 2016: $2.20 ($2.67 inflation-adjusted) 
• 2017: $2.47 ($2.92 inflation-adjusted) 
• 2018: $2.79 ($3.24 inflation-adjusted) 
• 2019: $2.70 ($3.08 inflation-adjusted) 
• 2020: $2.24 ($2.50 inflation-adjusted) 
• 2021: $3.13 ($3.44 inflation-adjusted) -- still in paradise;
  

US average mpg, sedan (car); PEW link here; and EIA through 2010. MPG doubled between 1975 and 2010.

• 1975: 14 mpg
• 1995: 25 mpg
• 2005: 25 mpg
• 2010: 27 mpg

2022, mpg, selected

• Lincoln Navigator: 20
• Honda Civic: 42 mpg (highway)

Compare:

• 1985, children; soccer mom, van; 14 mpg; $3.25-gasoline; 20,000 miles / year
• 2022: no children; no chauffeuring duties; 30 mpg; $2.59 gasoline; $10,000 miles / year