White bread prices by year
A pound of white bread averaged $1.87 in U.S. cities in 2025, up from $0.51 in 1980. In minutes of work at the average wage it went from 4.5 to 3.6.
The chart
Every year
| Year | Price | Change | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1.87 | -5% | 3.6 min |
| 2024 | $1.97 | +1% | 3.9 min |
| 2023 | $1.96 | +15% | 4.1 min |
| 2022 | $1.70 | +12% | 3.7 min |
| 2021 | $1.52 | +5% | 3.5 min |
| 2020 | $1.45 | +12% | 3.5 min |
| 2019 | $1.30 | +1% | 3.3 min |
| 2018 | $1.29 | -3% | 3.4 min |
| 2017 | $1.33 | -3% | 3.6 min |
| 2016 | $1.37 | -5% | 3.8 min |
| 2015 | $1.44 | +3% | 4.1 min |
| 2014 | $1.40 | -1% | 4.1 min |
| 2013 | $1.41 | -1% | 4.2 min |
| 2012 | $1.42 | -1% | 4.3 min |
| 2011 | $1.44 | +5% | 4.4 min |
| 2010 | In today's Then & Now | ||
| 2009 | $1.39 | +1% | 4.5 min |
| 2008 | $1.37 | +13% | 4.5 min |
| 2007 | $1.21 | +12% | 4.2 min |
| 2006 | $1.08 | +4% | 3.9 min |
| 2005 | $1.04 | +7% | 3.9 min |
| 2004 | $0.97 | -3% | 3.7 min |
| 2003 | $1.00 | -2% | 3.9 min |
| 2002 | $1.02 | +2% | 4.1 min |
| 2001 | $1.00 | +8% | 4.1 min |
| 2000 | $0.93 | +4% | 4.0 min |
| 1999 | $0.89 | +3% | 4.0 min |
| 1998 | $0.86 | -1% | 4.0 min |
| 1997 | $0.87 | -1% | 4.2 min |
| 1996 | $0.88 | +11% | 4.4 min |
| 1995 | $0.79 | +4% | 4.1 min |
| 1994 | $0.76 | +1% | 4.0 min |
| 1993 | $0.75 | +0% | 4.1 min |
| 1992 | $0.75 | +6% | 4.2 min |
| 1991 | $0.71 | +3% | 4.1 min |
| 1990 | $0.69 | +3% | 4.1 min |
| 1989 | $0.67 | +10% | 4.1 min |
| 1988 | $0.61 | +11% | 3.9 min |
| 1987 | $0.55 | -2% | 3.6 min |
| 1986 | $0.56 | +2% | 3.8 min |
| 1985 | $0.55 | +2% | 3.8 min |
| 1984 | $0.54 | +0% | 3.8 min |
| 1983 | $0.54 | +2% | 4.0 min |
| 1982 | $0.53 | +0% | 4.0 min |
| 1981 | $0.53 | +4% | 4.3 min |
| 1980 | $0.51 | 4.5 min | |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Average Price Data, series APU0000702111 (Bread, white, pan, 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
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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, gas, ground beef, bacon, banana, cheddar cheese, ice cream, coffee, potato chip, chicken, chocolate chip cookie, tomato, sugar, orange juice.