Gas Burden by State: Which Places Spend Most on Fuel Relative to Income
A 2026 data visualization shows gas affordability depends more on income than price: West Virginia has the highest burden for a 15-gallon fill-up (5.2% of median weekly income), while California pays the most per gallon but ranks lower in burden due to higher incomes. Top-burden states include Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Mississippi, and Kentucky; for some minimum-wage earners, a tank of gas can take up roughly a quarter of weekly earnings. Data from SmartAsset and AAA as of May 2026.