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As Americans use less gas, these states are still guzzling
Even as gas remains an evergreen topic among Americans, they are using much less of it.
From 2017 to 2022, daily national gas sales fell by about 6.5 million gallons. Even more striking, Americans purchased 21.2 million fewer gallons of gas daily in 2021 compared to 2016, as the pandemic continued to depress gasoline sales.
Still, gas usage varies widely across the nation. Truck Parking Club used data from the Energy Information Administration to map states’ daily gas sales per capita to see which areas use the most gas. The most recent state-level data available is for 2021, meaning these statistics will display state-level gas consumption reflecting the COVID-19 pandemic-era dip.
During the pandemic’s peak, remote work and limited in-person events meant people went to fewer places and used less gas. Some pandemic shifts that impact gas usage have been sustained, including remote work. Just over 15% of Americans worked from home in 2022, compared to about 5% in 2017. That swath of remote workers was cut mainly from those who previously drove to work, thus decreasing gas sales for daily commuters.
Other factors have contributed to decreased gas consumption among Americans, including a gradual increase in fuel efficiency. Electric vehicles are claiming a larger share of cars on American roads. Plus, relatively high gas prices coupled with other rising costs mean many Americans are trying to cut back and use less when possible.
However, these trends have not taken root equally across the nation. Read on to see which state residents maintain the highest gas consumption rates.
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Americans in Northeastern, Western states consume less gas
Generally, those in Southern states consumed more higher gas while those in the Northeast and West utilized less gas.
Montana maintained the highest gas sales at 1.9 gallons per person per day in 2021. It was followed closely by Wyoming (1.7 gallons), with Louisiana, Kansas, and Rhode Island rounding out the top five (1.5 gallons).
As neighboring states in the U.S. mountain region, Montana and Wyoming have similarities contributing to higher gas consumption. They are two of the nation’s least densely populated states, with above-average rates of commuting by car and a lower prevalence of remote work. EVs remain unpopular, and charging infrastructure is sparse. Public transit usage ranks in the bottom 15 nationwide, according to the U.S. News and World Report—as it does for Louisiana and Kansas. The latter two states also have extremely low gas prices, likely contributing to higher sales rates.
Rhode Island stands out among the high-consumption states as a small, densely packed state with decent transit usership. Relatively low gas prices may contribute to increased usage.
Meanwhile, several other Northeastern states saw the lowest gas sales per capita: Washington D.C., New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Massachusetts. Each has high population density and high ridership rates on robust public transportation systems. What’s more, the average income of residents in these states is higher than national averages, making it more feasible to purchase newer, more fuel-efficient cars and EVs. Plus, with shorter travel distances and relatively dense—and expanding—EV charging infrastructure in these metro areas, typical drawbacks of EVs aren’t as pressing.
Several factors, including density, public infrastructure, gas prices, and average income, overlap and affect gas use across geographies. Continued advancements in fuel-efficient transportation technology and the adoption of alternative-fuel vehicles like EVs will likely continue chipping away gas consumption in years to come.
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Story editing by Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn.
Written by: Paxtyn Merten
