Gas prices fell nationwide for the third straight year in 2025, but Washington drivers continued to pay some of the highest prices in the country, according to an analysis published by the Washington Post.
The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline dropped 21 cents in 2025 to $3.10, according to the Energy Information Administration.
Most regions of the country saw similar prices, all below the national average.
The West Coast was the clear exception — and Washington was one of the states driving that gap.
Among the states the EIA tracks on a weekly basis, Washington stood out alongside California for consistently high gas prices.
While prices declined overall, Washington drivers still paid far more than motorists in much of the country, the analysis found.
The price gap is not explained by party politics.
Other Democratic-led states have gas prices closer to those in Republican-led states.
Washington and California, however, remain outliers.
Taxes are part of the picture.
Washington has one of the higher gas tax rates in the nation, though the analysis noted that taxes alone do not explain the size of the price difference.
Other states with similar or slightly lower taxes do not see prices nearly as high.
Washington and California are the only two states with economy-wide cap-and-trade programs.
Under Washington’s system, fuel suppliers must buy emissions allowances, a cost that is passed on to drivers at the pump.
In California, the state’s Legislative Analyst’s Office estimates cap-and-trade adds about 23 cents per gallon to gas prices.
While a similar estimate was not cited for Washington, the analysis grouped the two states together as unique in applying the policy statewide.
Beyond taxes and climate policy, geography and infrastructure also play a role.
The West Coast is largely isolated from the rest of the nation’s fuel supply network.
Washington, like California, relies heavily on fuel that is refined or shipped into the region rather than delivered through extensive pipeline connections from the rest of the country.
Federal shipping rules under the Jones Act make it costly to transport oil or gasoline by ship between U.S. ports, limiting options for bringing fuel from regions like the Gulf Coast.
Those constraints can make West Coast fuel markets more vulnerable to supply disruptions and price spikes.
The analysis also pointed to limited competition.
Washington, like California, has fewer gas stations per driver than many other states, which can reduce price competition at the pump.
Some relief may come in the future, but not quickly.
New infrastructure projects and policy changes take years to affect fuel supply, and the West Coast’s structural challenges remain.
In the meantime, Washington drivers are likely to continue paying significantly more for gasoline than much of the country.
The burden falls hardest on lower-income residents who rely on gas-powered vehicles, while wealthier drivers increasingly switch to electric vehicles and avoid fuel costs altogether.