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Sugar prices by year

A pound of white sugar averaged $1.02 in U.S. cities in 2025, up from $0.43 in 1980. In minutes of work at the average wage it went from 3.8 to 2.0.

The chart

$0$0.50$1$1.5019801990200020102020$1.021980: $0.43, 3.8 min of work1981: $0.40, 3.2 min of work1982: $0.35, 2.7 min of work1983: $0.36, 2.6 min of work1984: $0.36, 2.5 min of work1985: $0.35, 2.4 min of work1986: $0.35, 2.4 min of work1987: $0.35, 2.3 min of work1988: $0.37, 2.4 min of work1989: $0.40, 2.4 min of work1990: $0.43, 2.5 min of work1991: $0.43, 2.5 min of work1992: $0.42, 2.3 min of work1993: $0.41, 2.2 min of work1994: $0.40, 2.1 min of work1995: $0.40, 2.1 min of work1996: $0.42, 2.1 min of work1997: $0.43, 2.1 min of work1998: $0.43, 2.0 min of work1999: $0.43, 1.9 min of work2000: $0.42, 1.8 min of work2001: $0.43, 1.8 min of work2002: $0.43, 1.7 min of work2003: $0.43, 1.7 min of work2004: $0.43, 1.6 min of work2005: $0.44, 1.6 min of work2006: $0.50, 1.8 min of work2007: $0.51, 1.8 min of work2008: $0.53, 1.8 min of work2009: $0.57, 1.8 min of work2010: $0.63, 2.0 min of work2011: $0.68, 2.1 min of work2012: $0.69, 2.1 min of work2013: $0.64, 1.9 min of work2014: $0.61, 1.8 min of work2015: $0.65, 1.9 min of work2016: $0.64, 1.8 min of work2017: $0.65, 1.8 min of work2018: $0.62, 1.6 min of work2019: $0.59, 1.5 min of work2020: $0.63, 1.5 min of work2021: $0.68, 1.6 min of work2022: $0.78, 1.7 min of work2023: $0.92, 1.9 min of work2024: $1.00, 2.0 min of work2025: $1.02, 2.0 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$1.02+2%2.0 min
2024$1.00+9%2.0 min
2023$0.92+18%1.9 min
2022$0.78+15%1.7 min
2021$0.68+8%1.6 min
2020$0.63+7%1.5 min
2019$0.59-5%1.5 min
2018$0.62-5%1.6 min
2017$0.65+2%1.8 min
2016$0.64-2%1.8 min
2015$0.65+7%1.9 min
2014$0.61-5%1.8 min
2013$0.64-7%1.9 min
2012$0.69+1%2.1 min
2011$0.68+8%2.1 min
2010$0.63+11%2.0 min
2009$0.57+8%1.8 min
2008$0.53+4%1.8 min
2007$0.51+2%1.8 min
2006$0.50+14%1.8 min
2005$0.44+2%1.6 min
2004$0.43+0%1.6 min
2003$0.43+0%1.7 min
2002$0.43+0%1.7 min
2001$0.43+2%1.8 min
2000$0.42-2%1.8 min
1999$0.43+0%1.9 min
1998$0.43+0%2.0 min
1997$0.43+2%2.1 min
1996$0.42+5%2.1 min
1995$0.40+0%2.1 min
1994$0.40-2%2.1 min
1993$0.41-2%2.2 min
1992$0.42-2%2.3 min
1991$0.43+0%2.5 min
1990$0.43+7%2.5 min
1989$0.40+8%2.4 min
1988$0.37+6%2.4 min
1987$0.35+0%2.3 min
1986$0.35+0%2.4 min
1985$0.35-3%2.4 min
1984$0.36+0%2.5 min
1983$0.36+3%2.6 min
1982$0.35-13%2.7 min
1981$0.40-7%3.2 min
1980$0.433.8 min

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Average Price Data, series APU0000715211 (Sugar, white, 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 sugar prices highest?
2025, when a pound of white sugar averaged $1.02 in U.S. cities (per lb), counting the years shown on this page.
When was a pound of white sugar cheapest in work time?
2019. At $0.59 and that year's average hourly wage, it took about 1.5 minutes of work. It took the longest in 1980, about 3.8 minutes.
What was the biggest one-year jump?
2023, up +18% on the year before to $0.92.

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