Cost of Driving in North Carolina

Key Findings

Driving in North Carolina costs an estimated $1,326 per year in fuel, ranking #10 among all states.
The average driver in North Carolina travels 12,549 miles per year, 1,222 miles above the national average.
Regular gasoline averages $2.748/gal (EIA Lower Atlantic PADD regional average), with a combined state and federal gas tax of 56.9 cents/gal.
An EV driver in North Carolina would pay roughly $537/year for electricity, saving about 60% compared to gasoline.

Contents

Quick Facts
Gas Prices
Gas Taxes
Miles Driven
Annual Fuel Cost
Commuting
EV Comparison
Neighboring States
Data Sources

01 Quick Facts

Metric	Value	National Avg
Annual fuel cost (26 MPG fleet avg)	$1,326	$1,280
Regular gas price	$2.748/gal	$2.937/gal
Combined gas tax (state + federal)	56.9¢/gal	—
Miles driven per capita	12,549	11,327
Electricity rate (residential)	14.1¢/kWh	16.5¢/kWh
Driving cost rank	#10 of 51	—

FHWA PS-1 (2024), EIA Weekly Retail Gasoline Prices (Feb 2026), FHWA MF-121T (2022), EIA Form 861 (2024)

02 Gas Prices

Regular gasoline in North Carolina averages $2.748 per gallon (EIA Lower Atlantic PADD regional average), which is $0.19 below the national average of $2.937. North Carolina ranks #23 among states for gas prices (1 = most expensive).

U.S. Energy Information Administration, Weekly Retail Gasoline Prices, February 2026

03 Gas Taxes

North Carolina charges a state gasoline excise tax of 38.5 cents per gallon. Combined with the federal excise tax of 18.4 cents per gallon, drivers in North Carolina pay a total of 56.9 cents per gallon in fuel taxes. This ranks #6 among all states (1 = highest tax).

FHWA, Highway Statistics 2022, Table MF-121T: State Motor-Fuel Tax Rates

At 12,549 miles per year and 26 MPG, the average driver in North Carolina pays roughly $275 in combined gas taxes annually.

Tax Component	Rate
State gasoline tax	38.5¢/gal
Federal gasoline tax	18.4¢/gal
Combined total	56.9¢/gal
Annual tax burden (at 12,549 mi, 26 MPG)	$275

FHWA MF-121T (2022); 26 U.S.C. §4081 (federal excise tax rate)

04 Miles Driven

The average driver in North Carolina travels 12,549 miles per year, ranking #10 among all states (1 = most miles). This is 1,222 miles above the national average of 11,327.

FHWA, Table PS-1: Selected Measures for Identifying Peer States, 2024

North Carolina has a total of 131.0 billion vehicle-miles traveled annually across all road types, with a population of 10,439,388 (67% urban).

FHWA PS-1, 2024; U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census

05 Annual Fuel Cost

Based on North Carolina's average gas price and miles driven, here is the estimated annual fuel cost by vehicle type:

Vehicle Type	MPG	Annual Fuel Cost
Compact sedan	33	$1,045
Midsize SUV	26	$1,326
Pickup truck	20	$1,724

Calculated: VMT per capita ({s['vmt_per_capita']:,} mi) ÷ MPG × gas price (${s['gas_price']:.3f}/gal). MPG estimates from EPA Automotive Trends Report, 2023.

Estimate your vehicle's fuel cost using EPA data.

Use the Calculator

06 Commuting

The average commute in North Carolina takes 25.3 minutes one way. About 71.3% of workers drive alone to work and 16.1% work from home.

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 1-Year Estimates, Table S0801: Commuting Characteristics by Sex, 2023

Commute Metric	Value
Mean travel time to work	25.3 min
Drove alone to work	71.3%
Public transit	0.6%
Worked from home	16.1%

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 1-Year Estimates, Table S0801, 2023

07 EV Comparison

The average residential electricity rate in North Carolina is 14.1 cents per kWh, which ranks #34 among states (1 = most expensive). At an average EV efficiency of 3.3 miles per kWh, driving on electricity in North Carolina costs roughly $0.043 per mile compared to $0.106 per mile for gasoline.

EIA Form 861, Table 5A: Average Monthly Bill — Residential, 2024; EPA average EV efficiency ~3.3 mi/kWh

Metric	Gasoline	Electric
Cost per mile	$0.106	$0.043
Annual fuel/energy cost (12,549 mi)	$1,326	$537
Annual savings with EV	$789 (60%)

EIA Form 861 (2024); EIA Weekly Retail Gasoline Prices (Feb 2026); EPA Fuel Economy Guide

08 Neighboring States

Here is how North Carolina's driving costs compare to neighboring states:

State	Gas Price	VMT/Capita	Annual Cost
North Carolina	$2.748	12,549	$1,326
Virginia	$2.748	10,255	$1,084
Tennessee	$2.675	11,417	$1,175
Georgia	$2.748	11,409	$1,206
South Carolina	$2.748	12,121	$1,281

09 Data Sources

Federal Highway Administration: Table PS-1, Selected Measures for Identifying Peer States, 2024. fhwa.dot.gov
Federal Highway Administration: Highway Statistics 2022, Table MF-121T: State Motor-Fuel Tax Rates. fhwa.dot.gov
U.S. Energy Information Administration: Weekly Retail Gasoline Prices by State/Region, February 2026. eia.gov
U.S. Energy Information Administration: Form EIA-861, Table 5A: Average Monthly Bill — Residential, 2024. eia.gov
U.S. Census Bureau: ACS 1-Year Estimates, Table S0801: Commuting Characteristics by Sex, 2023. data.census.gov
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Automotive Trends Report, 2023. epa.gov

Disclaimer. This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or professional advice. All data is sourced from U.S. government agencies as cited. Gasoline prices change frequently and vary by station, grade, and payment method. Gas tax rates reflect FHWA 2022 data and may have been adjusted since publication. Annual cost estimates use the formula: VMT ÷ MPG × Price per Gallon.