Louisiana Is the Most Expensive State to Drive in America

LOUISIANA - Driving in Louisiana is costly these days. Not just the price of gas, but if you factor in all the figures, our fair state ranks as the most expensive in America.

According to a new study, Louisiana drivers face the heaviest driving cost burden in the United States. When you combine the price of gas and full-coverage car insurance, it takes up 8.59% of the state's median household income.

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Where Did the Research Come From?

The study was conducted by researchers at MoneyGeek. They analyzed all 50 states to determine where driving is least affordable in 2026, measuring annual fuel costs and full-coverage car insurance premiums as a share of median household income.

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Key Numbers: What Louisiana Drivers Pay for Gas and Insurance

Here are some of the key takeaways that put Louisiana on the wrong end of the list:

• Louisiana drivers pay an average of $5,236 a year on fuel and car insurance combined.
• The state has the second-highest full-coverage car insurance premium in the country at $2,827 a year.
• Louisiana drivers spend an average of $2,409 a year on fuel, based on 16,612 miles driven annually and an April gas price of $3.68 per gallon.
• The state's driving-cost burden rose by 1.38 percentage points from January to April, climbing from 7.21% to 8.59%.

How Louisiana Compares to the Rest of the Nation

The other states with the highest driving-cost burden are Mississippi, Florida, Kentucky, Arkansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Missouri, Alabama, and Indiana.

The lowest-burden states are New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Alaska, Washington, Hawaii, New York, Virginia, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Colorado.