John F. Kennedy — 35th President of the United States
Portrait: White House color photo portrait of John F. Kennedy (public domain), via Wikimedia Commons
35th President of the United States, Democratic
John F. Kennedy
Term: Jan 20, 1961 – Nov 22, 1963
John F. Kennedy (1917–1963) was the thirty-fifth president of the United States, serving from January 1961 until his assassination on November 22, 1963. His presidency included the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, a thirteen-day standoff with the Soviet Union over nuclear missiles in Cuba that is widely regarded as the closest the Cold War came to nuclear conflict. He established the Peace Corps, committed the United States to landing a man on the moon, and advanced early civil rights legislation. Kennedy was shot while riding in a presidential motorcade in Dallas, Texas, and was pronounced dead shortly after. He was succeeded by Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson.
“ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.”
Gas prices during the Kennedy presidency
- At inauguration
- $0.31
- 1961 avg.
- On leaving
- $0.30
- 1963 avg.
- Change
- −1.3%
- −3.7% in 2026 dollars
- Average
- $0.31
- $3.39 in 2026 dollars
- Peak
- $0.31
- 1961 avg.
- Low
- $0.30
- 1963 avg.
U.S. average, regular grade · 1961 avg. – 1963 avg.
Before October 1973 only annual averages exist, so earlier months use that year's average.
Nominal U.S. national averages including taxes (EIA / BLS); regional prices vary widely. Compare all presidencies on Gas Prices by President.