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Cheddar cheese prices by year

A pound of cheddar averaged $5.84 in U.S. cities in 2025, up from $3.07 in 1984. In minutes of work at the average wage it went from 22 to 11.

The chart

$0$2$4$6200020102020$5.841984: $3.07, 21.7 min of work1985: $3.09, 21.2 min of work1986: $3.05, 20.5 min of work1987: $3.06, 20.1 min of work1988: $3.16, 20.1 min of work1991: $3.55, 20.3 min of work1992: $3.57, 19.9 min of work1993: $3.34, 18.1 min of work1994: $3.35, 17.7 min of work1995: $3.39, 17.5 min of work1996: $3.25, 16.2 min of work1997: $3.22, 15.5 min of work1998: $3.55, 16.4 min of work1999: $3.77, 16.8 min of work2000: $3.83, 16.4 min of work2001: $4.03, 16.6 min of work2002: $4.22, 16.9 min of work2003: $3.95, 15.4 min of work2004: $4.27, 16.3 min of work2005: $4.38, 16.3 min of work2006: $4.25, 15.2 min of work2007: $4.23, 14.6 min of work2008: $4.73, 15.7 min of work2009: $4.67, 15.1 min of work2010: $4.71, 14.8 min of work2011: $5.42, 16.7 min of work2012: $5.63, 17.1 min of work2013: $5.56, 16.6 min of work2014: $5.54, 16.1 min of work2015: $5.38, 15.3 min of work2016: $5.23, 14.6 min of work2017: $4.90, 13.3 min of work2018: $5.14, 13.6 min of work2019: $5.31, 13.6 min of work2020: $5.50, 13.4 min of work2021: $5.44, 12.6 min of work2022: $5.76, 12.5 min of work2023: $5.82, 12.1 min of work2024: $5.66, 11.3 min of work2025: $5.84, 11.2 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$5.84+3%11 min
2024$5.66-3%11 min
2023$5.82+1%12 min
2022$5.76+6%13 min
2021$5.44-1%13 min
2020$5.50+4%13 min
2019$5.31+3%14 min
2018$5.14+5%14 min
2017$4.90-6%13 min
2016$5.23-3%15 min
2015$5.38-3%15 min
2014$5.540%16 min
2013$5.56-1%17 min
2012$5.63+4%17 min
2011$5.42+15%17 min
2010$4.71+1%15 min
2009$4.67-1%15 min
2008$4.73+12%16 min
2007$4.230%15 min
2006$4.25-3%15 min
2005$4.38+3%16 min
2004$4.27+8%16 min
2003$3.95-6%15 min
2002$4.22+5%17 min
2001$4.03+5%17 min
2000$3.83+2%16 min
1999$3.77+6%17 min
1998$3.55+10%16 min
1997$3.22-1%15 min
1996$3.25-4%16 min
1995$3.39+1%17 min
1994$3.35+0%18 min
1993$3.34-6%18 min
1992$3.57+1%20 min
1991$3.5520 min
1988$3.16+3%20 min
1987$3.06+0%20 min
1986$3.05-1%21 min
1985$3.09+1%21 min
1984$3.0722 min

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Average Price Data, series APU0000710212 (Cheddar cheese, natural, 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 cheddar cheese prices highest?
2025, when a pound of cheddar averaged $5.84 in U.S. cities (per lb, natural cheddar), counting the years shown on this page.
When was a pound of cheddar cheapest in work time?
2025. At $5.84 and that year's average hourly wage, it took about 11 minutes of work. It took the longest in 1984, about 22 minutes.
What was the biggest one-year jump?
2011, up +15% on the year before to $5.42.

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, bacon, banana, ice cream, coffee, potato chip, chicken, chocolate chip cookie, tomato, sugar, orange juice.