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Potato chip prices by year

A 16 oz bag of potato chips averaged $6.71 in U.S. cities in 2025, up from $2.04 in 1980. In minutes of work at the average wage it went from 18 to 13.

The chart

$0$2$4$6$819801990200020102020$6.711980: $2.04, 17.9 min of work1981: $2.28, 18.4 min of work1982: $2.40, 18.3 min of work1983: $2.50, 18.3 min of work1984: $2.57, 18.2 min of work1985: $2.61, 17.9 min of work1986: $2.68, 18.0 min of work1987: $2.75, 18.1 min of work1988: $2.62, 16.7 min of work1989: $2.86, 17.5 min of work1990: $2.96, 17.4 min of work1991: $2.96, 16.9 min of work1992: $2.90, 16.2 min of work1993: $2.88, 15.6 min of work1994: $2.97, 15.7 min of work1995: $3.00, 15.5 min of work1996: $3.06, 15.2 min of work1997: $3.13, 15.0 min of work1998: $3.16, 14.6 min of work1999: $3.26, 14.5 min of work2000: $3.36, 14.4 min of work2001: $3.43, 14.2 min of work2002: $3.36, 13.5 min of work2003: $3.50, 13.7 min of work2004: $3.40, 13.0 min of work2005: $3.37, 12.6 min of work2006: $3.47, 12.4 min of work2007: $3.53, 12.2 min of work2008: $4.02, 13.3 min of work2009: $4.57, 14.7 min of work2010: $4.64, 14.6 min of work2011: $4.97, 15.3 min of work2012: $4.99, 15.2 min of work2013: $4.66, 13.9 min of work2014: $4.37, 12.7 min of work2015: $4.41, 12.6 min of work2016: $4.46, 12.4 min of work2017: $4.41, 12.0 min of work2018: $4.45, 11.8 min of work2019: $4.49, 11.5 min of work2020: $4.92, 12.0 min of work2021: $5.08, 11.8 min of work2022: $5.83, 12.7 min of work2023: $6.45, 13.4 min of work2024: $6.45, 12.8 min of work2025: $6.71, 12.8 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$6.71+4%13 min
2024$6.45+0%13 min
2023$6.45+11%13 min
2022$5.83+15%13 min
2021$5.08+3%12 min
2020$4.92+10%12 min
2019$4.49+1%11 min
2018$4.45+1%12 min
2017$4.41-1%12 min
2016$4.46+1%12 min
2015$4.41+1%13 min
2014$4.37-6%13 min
2013$4.66-7%14 min
2012$4.99+0%15 min
2011$4.97+7%15 min
2010$4.64+2%15 min
2009$4.57+14%15 min
2008$4.02+14%13 min
2007$3.53+2%12 min
2006$3.47+3%12 min
2005$3.37-1%13 min
2004$3.40-3%13 min
2003$3.50+4%14 min
2002$3.36-2%13 min
2001$3.43+2%14 min
2000$3.36+3%14 min
1999$3.26+3%14 min
1998$3.16+1%15 min
1997$3.13+2%15 min
1996$3.06+2%15 min
1995$3.00+1%15 min
1994$2.97+3%16 min
1993$2.88-1%16 min
1992$2.90-2%16 min
1991$2.96+0%17 min
1990$2.96+3%17 min
1989$2.86+9%18 min
1988$2.62-5%17 min
1987$2.75+3%18 min
1986$2.68+3%18 min
1985$2.61+2%18 min
1984$2.57+3%18 min
1983$2.50+4%18 min
1982$2.40+5%18 min
1981$2.28+12%18 min
1980$2.0418 min

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Average Price Data, series APU0000718311 (Potato chips, per 16 oz., 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 potato chip prices highest?
2025, when a 16 oz bag of potato chips averaged $6.71 in U.S. cities (per 16 oz), counting the years shown on this page.
When was a 16 oz bag of potato chips cheapest in work time?
2019. At $4.49 and that year's average hourly wage, it took about 11 minutes of work. It took the longest in 1981, about 18 minutes.
What was the biggest one-year jump?
2022, up +15% on the year before to $5.83.

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