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Bacon prices by year

A pound of sliced bacon averaged $7.02 in U.S. cities in 2025, up from $1.46 in 1980. In minutes of work at the average wage it went from 13 to 13.

The chart

$0$2$4$6$819801990200020102020$7.021980: $1.46, 12.8 min of work1981: $1.67, 13.5 min of work1982: $2.05, 15.6 min of work1983: $1.94, 14.2 min of work1984: $1.86, 13.1 min of work1985: $1.94, 13.3 min of work1986: $2.08, 14.0 min of work1987: $2.14, 14.0 min of work1988: $1.88, 11.9 min of work1989: $1.77, 10.8 min of work1990: $2.12, 12.5 min of work1991: $2.22, 12.7 min of work1992: $1.92, 10.7 min of work1993: $1.93, 10.5 min of work1994: $1.99, 10.5 min of work1995: $1.99, 10.2 min of work1996: $2.47, 12.3 min of work1997: $2.68, 12.9 min of work1998: $2.54, 11.7 min of work1999: $2.55, 11.3 min of work2000: $3.03, 13.0 min of work2001: $3.25, 13.4 min of work2002: $3.24, 13.0 min of work2003: $3.20, 12.5 min of work2004: $3.38, 12.9 min of work2005: $3.39, 12.6 min of work2006: $3.44, 12.3 min of work2007: $3.66, 12.6 min of work2008: $3.66, 12.2 min of work2009: $3.61, 11.6 min of work2010: $4.11, 12.9 min of work2011: $4.63, 14.3 min of work2012: $4.56, 13.9 min of work2013: $5.29, 15.8 min of work2014: $5.78, 16.8 min of work2015: $5.45, 15.5 min of work2016: $5.42, 15.1 min of work2017: $5.77, 15.7 min of work2018: $5.47, 14.5 min of work2019: $5.61, 14.3 min of work2020: $5.58, 13.6 min of work2021: $6.64, 15.4 min of work2022: $7.31, 15.9 min of work2023: $6.65, 13.8 min of work2024: $6.78, 13.5 min of work2025: $7.02, 13.4 min of work
Annual U.S. city average in the dollars of each year. Every year is in the table below.

Every year

YearPriceChangeWork
2025$7.02+4%13 min
2024$6.78+2%14 min
2023$6.65-9%14 min
2022$7.31+10%16 min
2021$6.64+19%15 min
2020$5.58-1%14 min
2019$5.61+3%14 min
2018$5.47-5%14 min
2017$5.77+6%16 min
2016$5.42-1%15 min
2015$5.45-6%16 min
2014$5.78+9%17 min
2013$5.29+16%16 min
2012$4.56-2%14 min
2011$4.63+13%14 min
2010$4.11+14%13 min
2009$3.61-1%12 min
2008$3.66+0%12 min
2007$3.66+6%13 min
2006$3.44+1%12 min
2005$3.39+0%13 min
2004$3.38+6%13 min
2003$3.20-1%13 min
2002$3.240%13 min
2001$3.25+7%13 min
2000$3.03+19%13 min
1999$2.55+0%11 min
1998$2.54-5%12 min
1997$2.68+9%13 min
1996$2.47+24%12 min
1995$1.99+0%10 min
1994$1.99+3%11 min
1993$1.93+1%10 min
1992$1.92-14%11 min
1991$2.22+5%13 min
1990$2.12+20%12 min
1989$1.77-6%11 min
1988$1.88-12%12 min
1987$2.14+3%14 min
1986$2.08+7%14 min
1985$1.94+4%13 min
1984$1.86-4%13 min
1983$1.94-5%14 min
1982$2.05+23%16 min
1981$1.67+14%13 min
1980$1.4613 min

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Average Price Data, series APU0000704111 (Bacon, sliced, per lb. (453.6 gm), U.S. city average). Each year is the mean of its monthly averages; years with fewer than ten months published are left out. Work is minutes at the BLS average hourly earnings of production and nonsupervisory employees. Not adjusted for inflation.

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Answered

What year were bacon prices highest?
2022, when a pound of sliced bacon averaged $7.31 in U.S. cities (per lb, sliced), counting the years shown on this page.
When was a pound of sliced bacon cheapest in work time?
1995. At $1.99 and that year's average hourly wage, it took about 10 minutes of work. It took the longest in 2014, about 17 minutes.
What was the biggest one-year jump?
1996, up +24% on the year before to $2.47.

Play with it

Then & Now asks what one of these items cost in an earlier year, and Price Year shows a receipt and asks for the year. For how this item compares with the rest, read only three groceries got harder to buy since 1980. Other items: egg, white bread, gas, ground beef, banana, cheddar cheese, ice cream, coffee, potato chip, chicken, chocolate chip cookie, tomato, sugar, orange juice.