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Ice cream prices by year

A half gallon of ice cream averaged $6.37 in U.S. cities in 2025, up from $1.82 in 1980. In minutes of work at the average wage it went from 16 to 12.

The chart

$0$2$4$6$819801990200020102020$6.371980: $1.82, 15.9 min of work1981: $2.02, 16.3 min of work1982: $2.10, 16.0 min of work1983: $2.16, 15.8 min of work1984: $2.22, 15.7 min of work1985: $2.30, 15.8 min of work1986: $2.36, 15.9 min of work1987: $2.46, 16.1 min of work1988: $2.46, 15.6 min of work1989: $2.60, 15.9 min of work1990: $2.60, 15.3 min of work1991: $2.58, 14.7 min of work1992: $2.58, 14.4 min of work1993: $2.53, 13.7 min of work1994: $2.63, 13.9 min of work1995: $2.65, 13.6 min of work1996: $2.86, 14.3 min of work1997: $2.92, 14.0 min of work1998: $3.13, 14.4 min of work1999: $3.30, 14.7 min of work2000: $3.45, 14.8 min of work2001: $3.70, 15.3 min of work2002: $3.73, 15.0 min of work2003: $3.81, 14.9 min of work2004: $3.84, 14.7 min of work2005: $3.74, 13.9 min of work2006: $3.75, 13.4 min of work2007: $3.95, 13.6 min of work2008: $4.21, 14.0 min of work2009: $4.32, 13.9 min of work2010: $4.46, 14.0 min of work2011: $4.93, 15.2 min of work2012: $5.04, 15.3 min of work2013: $4.99, 14.9 min of work2014: $4.89, 14.2 min of work2015: $4.74, 13.5 min of work2016: $4.76, 13.3 min of work2017: $4.69, 12.8 min of work2018: $4.74, 12.5 min of work2019: $4.81, 12.3 min of work2020: $4.92, 12.0 min of work2021: $4.89, 11.3 min of work2022: $5.43, 11.8 min of work2023: $5.90, 12.2 min of work2024: $6.13, 12.2 min of work2025: $6.37, 12.2 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$6.37+4%12 min
2024$6.13+4%12 min
2023$5.90+9%12 min
2022$5.43+11%12 min
2021$4.89-1%11 min
2020$4.92+2%12 min
2019$4.81+1%12 min
2018$4.74+1%13 min
2017$4.69-1%13 min
2016$4.76+0%13 min
2015$4.74-3%14 min
2014$4.89-2%14 min
2013$4.99-1%15 min
2012$5.04+2%15 min
2011$4.93+11%15 min
2010$4.46+3%14 min
2009$4.32+3%14 min
2008$4.21+7%14 min
2007$3.95+5%14 min
2006$3.75+0%13 min
2005$3.74-3%14 min
2004$3.84+1%15 min
2003$3.81+2%15 min
2002$3.73+1%15 min
2001$3.70+7%15 min
2000$3.45+5%15 min
1999$3.30+5%15 min
1998$3.13+7%14 min
1997$2.92+2%14 min
1996$2.86+8%14 min
1995$2.65+1%14 min
1994$2.63+4%14 min
1993$2.53-2%14 min
1992$2.58+0%14 min
1991$2.58-1%15 min
1990$2.60+0%15 min
1989$2.60+6%16 min
1988$2.46+0%16 min
1987$2.46+4%16 min
1986$2.36+3%16 min
1985$2.30+4%16 min
1984$2.22+3%16 min
1983$2.16+3%16 min
1982$2.10+4%16 min
1981$2.02+11%16 min
1980$1.8216 min

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Average Price Data, series APU0000710411 (Ice cream, prepackaged, bulk, regular, per 1/2 gal. (1.9 lit), 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 ice cream prices highest?
2025, when a half gallon of ice cream averaged $6.37 in U.S. cities (per 1/2 gal, prepackaged regular), counting the years shown on this page.
When was a half gallon of ice cream cheapest in work time?
2021. At $4.89 and that year's average hourly wage, it took about 11 minutes of work. It took the longest in 1981, about 16 minutes.
What was the biggest one-year jump?
2022, up +11% on the year before to $5.43.

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, coffee, potato chip, chicken, chocolate chip cookie, tomato, sugar, orange juice.