What the average US ground beef price measures
The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes the national average retail price of a pound of 100% ground beef (any fat content) in US cities each month, as part of the Consumer Price Index. The chart shows the series since 1984 in current dollars. Ground beef is the most widely bought beef product, so it is a good gauge of what beef costs consumers.
How to read this chart
Beef prices follow the cattle cycle: when ranchers shrink their herds after drought or low prices, beef supply falls for several years and prices rise; when herds are rebuilt, prices level off. That gives the chart long climbs rather than short spikes. The steep rises in 2014–2015 and since 2022 both followed droughts that forced herd reductions.
The latest reading in context
- At $6.79, the latest reading is above its 5-year average of $5.49 and above its 10-year average of $4.67.
- That is higher than 99% of all monthly readings since January 1984 – near the top of its historical range.
- Direction: down 1.9% over the past month; up 1.4% over the past six months; up 7.4% over the past year.
- The highest value on record is $6.92 (August 2026, this year); the lowest is $1.17 (June 1986, 40 years ago).
- The full history spans 4 US recessions, shaded grey on the chart.
Why it matters
Beef is the largest single meat category in US grocery spending, so its price matters for food inflation and household budgets. Because the cattle cycle is slow, high beef prices tend to persist for years, unlike eggs or vegetables.
What moves the average US ground beef price
- Size of the US cattle herd
- Drought and pasture conditions
- Feed costs: corn and hay
- Imports of lean beef for grinding
- Meatpacker capacity and labor
Key moments in its history
- 2004Rose after a ban on Canadian cattle imports over mad cow disease.
- 2014–2015Jumped as drought shrank the herd to its smallest in decades.
- 2020Spiked briefly when COVID outbreaks closed meatpacking plants.
- 2025–2026Set new records as the US cattle herd fell to its smallest since the early 1950s.
Ground Beef Prices data tables
Average by decade
| Decade | Average | High | Low |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s (so far) | $5.15 | $6.92 | $3.87 |
| 2010s | $3.46 | $4.24 | $2.24 |
| 2000s | $2.05 | $2.44 | $1.48 |
| 1990s | $1.48 | $1.65 | $1.32 |
| 1980s | $1.31 | $1.50 | $1.17 |
Last 12 months
| Period | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | $6.79 | −1.9% |
| Aug 2026 | $6.92 | +0.6% |
| Jul 2026 | $6.88 | +0.9% |
| Jun 2026 | $6.83 | +1.2% |
| May 2026 | $6.75 | −2.2% |
| Apr 2026 | $6.90 | +3.0% |
| Mar 2026 | $6.70 | −0.6% |
| Feb 2026 | $6.74 | −0.2% |
| Jan 2026 | $6.75 | +1.0% |
| Dec 2025 | $6.69 | +2.2% |
| Nov 2025 | $6.54 | |
| Oct 2025 | n/a | not published |
Monthly values. Decade figures are averages of the monthly values in each decade. The complete history is available as a CSV file.
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Ground Beef Prices: questions and answers
Why is beef so expensive?
The US cattle herd is at its smallest in about 70 years after several years of drought and high feed costs. Rebuilding it takes years, because heifers kept for breeding are not sold for beef.
How much does ground beef cost per pound?
The latest US average is shown at the top of this page. Lean and organic ground beef cost more.
Will beef prices come down?
Usually only after ranchers rebuild herds, which takes two to three years from the decision to keep more heifers.
Where does the data on this chart come from?
From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. ChartWidgets downloads the series (APU0000703112) from FRED, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis database, and checks for new releases every day. The last update was on November 1, 2026.