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Coffee prices by year

A pound of ground coffee averaged $8.18 in U.S. cities in 2025, up from $3.14 in 1980. In minutes of work at the average wage it went from 28 to 16.

The chart

$0$2.50$5$7.50$1019801990200020102020$8.181980: $3.14, 27.5 min of work1981: $2.53, 20.4 min of work1982: $2.52, 19.2 min of work1983: $2.47, 18.1 min of work1984: $2.58, 18.2 min of work1985: $2.58, 17.7 min of work1986: $3.43, 23.1 min of work1987: $2.79, 18.3 min of work1988: $2.77, 17.6 min of work1989: $3.07, 18.8 min of work1990: $2.97, 17.5 min of work1991: $2.81, 16.0 min of work1992: $2.58, 14.4 min of work1993: $2.47, 13.4 min of work1994: $3.40, 18.0 min of work1995: $4.04, 20.8 min of work1996: $3.43, 17.1 min of work1997: $4.11, 19.7 min of work1998: $3.77, 17.4 min of work1999: $3.43, 15.3 min of work2000: $3.45, 14.8 min of work2001: $3.09, 12.8 min of work2002: $2.92, 11.7 min of work2003: $2.92, 11.4 min of work2004: $2.85, 10.9 min of work2005: $3.26, 12.1 min of work2006: $3.20, 11.5 min of work2007: $3.47, 12.0 min of work2010: $3.91, 12.3 min of work2011: $5.19, 16.0 min of work2012: $5.68, 17.3 min of work2013: $5.45, 16.2 min of work2014: $4.99, 14.5 min of work2015: $4.72, 13.5 min of work2016: $4.39, 12.2 min of work2017: $4.45, 12.1 min of work2020: $4.43, 10.8 min of work2021: $4.71, 10.9 min of work2022: $5.89, 12.8 min of work2023: $6.16, 12.8 min of work2024: $6.32, 12.6 min of work2025: $8.18, 15.7 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$8.18+29%16 min
2024$6.32+3%13 min
2023$6.16+5%13 min
2022$5.89+25%13 min
2021$4.71+6%11 min
2020$4.4311 min
2017$4.45+1%12 min
2016$4.39-7%12 min
2015$4.72-5%13 min
2014$4.99-8%15 min
2013$5.45-4%16 min
2012$5.68+9%17 min
2011$5.19+33%16 min
2010$3.9112 min
2007$3.47+8%12 min
2006$3.20-2%11 min
2005$3.26+14%12 min
2004$2.85-2%11 min
2003$2.92+0%11 min
2002$2.92-6%12 min
2001$3.09-10%13 min
2000$3.45+1%15 min
1999$3.43-9%15 min
1998$3.77-8%17 min
1997$4.11+20%20 min
1996$3.43-15%17 min
1995$4.04+19%21 min
1994$3.40+38%18 min
1993$2.47-4%13 min
1992$2.58-8%14 min
1991$2.81-5%16 min
1990$2.97-3%17 min
1989$3.07+11%19 min
1988$2.77-1%18 min
1987$2.79-19%18 min
1986$3.43+33%23 min
1985$2.58+0%18 min
1984$2.58+4%18 min
1983$2.47-2%18 min
1982$2.520%19 min
1981$2.53-19%20 min
1980$3.1428 min

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Average Price Data, series APU0000717311 (Coffee, 100%, ground roast, all sizes, 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 coffee prices highest?
2025, when a pound of ground coffee averaged $8.18 in U.S. cities (per lb, 100% ground roast), counting the years shown on this page.
When was a pound of ground coffee cheapest in work time?
2020. At $4.43 and that year's average hourly wage, it took about 11 minutes of work. It took the longest in 1980, about 28 minutes.
What was the biggest one-year jump?
1994, up +38% on the year before to $3.40.

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, cheddar cheese, ice cream, potato chip, chicken, chocolate chip cookie, tomato, sugar, orange juice.