The Pump Tax
Gas prices relative to median weekly earnings
What is the current The Pump Tax?
American households are spending 1.1% of disposable income on gasoline in Q2 2026. The Pump Tax tracks gasoline costs as a share of household income — a direct measure of fuel affordability. Source: Computed from EIA gasoline prices and BEA disposable personal income.
A gallon of gas now costs 1.14 percent of median weekly earnings, back above the pre-pandemic norm after retreating from the 2022 energy shock.
The gas affordability ratio is a simple piece of math. Take the weekly retail price of regular gas. Divide by median full-time weekly earnings. The result is the share of one week's pay that buys one gallon. EIA and BLS data via FRED make the calculation automatic.
The pre-pandemic normal sat near 0.7 percent. The 2022 reading hit 1.25 percent as gas briefly cleared five dollars a gallon. Through 2023 and 2024 the ratio retreated into the 0.8 range. That was the story everyone remembers. Prices came back down.
They came back down, then they started climbing again. The Q2 2026 reading is 1.1 percent, the strongest reading since the 2022 shock. The climb happened in spite of the earnings side. Wages kept growing. Gas prices grew faster.
Gasoline is a regressive cost. The bottom income quartile spends a much larger share of income on fuel than the top quartile does. That same quartile is the one showing up in The Divergence, where low-income consumer spending growth now trails high-income spending by nearly 10 points. A rising pump tax is one of the mechanisms pulling the lower-income side of the economy away from the top.
Explore Further
Is this happening to you?
Is filling up the tank taking a bigger bite out of your budget than it used to?
How has The Pump Tax changed over time?
Most affected counties
Counties with the highest debt burden scores in the County Distress Index.
Explore all 3,144 counties →| Period | Value | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| Q2 2026 | 1.14% | +0.3 pts |
| Q1 2026 | 0.84% | +0.0 pts |
| Q4 2025 | 0.8% | −0.0 pts |
| Q3 2025 | 0.84% | −0.1 pts |
| Q2 2025 | 0.84% | −0.1 pts |
| Q1 2025 | 0.83% | −0.1 pts |
| Q4 2024 | 0.82% | −0.1 pts |
| Q3 2024 | 0.91% | −0.1 pts |
| Q2 2024 | 0.97% | −0.0 pts |
| Q1 2024 | 0.88% | −0.0 pts |
| Q4 2023 | 0.91% | −0.1 pts |
| Q3 2023 | 1.02% | −0.1 pts |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Pump Tax?
The Pump Tax measures gasoline spending as a percentage of household disposable income. The Q2 2026 reading is 1.1%, capturing how much fuel costs burden the average American household.
Why does gas affordability matter for distress?
Gasoline is essential for commuting to work. When fuel costs spike, lower-income households — who already spend a disproportionate share on gas — must cut other spending or take on debt.
Where does this data come from?
Computed from EIA gasoline price data and BEA disposable personal income data.
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