The bacon fad may or may not be abating somewhat, but there’s no disputing that we’re eating more of it than ever. Bacon consumption levels were at historical highs last year, according to The National Provisioner, a food business trade publication. Bacon has been appearing in all menu categories — even desserts and beverages, both of which saw a 17% rise in bacon use over 2016.

Bacon has long been an essential part of the American diet, at least for carnivores, even before people started putting it in candy canes, coffee, soda, and other places it probably doesn’t belong. It can attract non-carnivores, too: Bacon has been called the ultimate “conversion food” because it tempts even the most ardent vegetarians.

Bacon prices have risen and fallen substantially over the years. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average price of a pound of sliced bacon has more than doubled over just the past two decades from $2.64 in January of 1998 to $5.42 in July of this year. Along the way, though, it hit even higher marks, reaching $6.37 in September of 2017 — and the price has been trending downward since that peak.

Price swings for bacon are so notable that for 50 years, pork bellies — the meat American bacon is made from — were traded as a commodity on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, with frozen bellies stockpiled as a hedge against rising seasonal pork prices. (The trade was halted in 2011 as seasonal demand for the meat evened out.)

While it may appear in many guises today, bacon is inextricably linked above all to another form of protein: the egg. Bacon and eggs is as emblematic a food combination as salt and pepper, chips and salsa, or burgers and fries.

Click here for the price of bacon and eggs the year you were born.
Click here to see our detailed findings and methodology.

1940
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.22
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.93
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.07
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.25

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1941
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.28
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.72
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.09
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.50

1942
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.32
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.88
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.10
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.55

1943
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.33
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.82
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.11
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.53

1944
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.31
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.50
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.10
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.43

1945
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.32
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.42
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.10
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.41

1946
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.41
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.34
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.13
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.70

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1947
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.60
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.81
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.19
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $2.17

1948
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.60
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.22
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.19
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.98

1949
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.52
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.46
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.16
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.74

1950
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.49
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.17
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.16
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.64

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1951
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.52
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.04
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.17
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.60

1952
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.50
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.77
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.16
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.52

1953
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.61
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.77
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.19
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.84

1954
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.63
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.94
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.20
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.89

1955
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.51
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.80
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.16
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.53

1956
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.45
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.19
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.14
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.33

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1957
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.58
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.20
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.18
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.66

1958
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.62
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.41
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.20
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.72

1959
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.52
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.50
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.17
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.43

1960
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.51
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.35
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.16
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.38

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1961
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.56
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.69
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.18
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.49

1962
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.55
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.60
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.18
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.46

1963
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.53
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.40
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.17
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.40

1964
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.54
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.36
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.17
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.39

1965
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.65
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.23
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.21
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.67

1966
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.77
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.98
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.25
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.91

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1967
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.68
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.10
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.22
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.62

1968
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.66
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.76
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.21
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.52

1969
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.71
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.89
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.23
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.56

1970
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.77
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.00
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.25
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.59

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1971
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.65
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.06
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.21
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.29

1972
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.79
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.76
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.25
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.52

1973
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.09
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.18
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.35
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.97

1974
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.08
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.54
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.35
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.76

1975
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.46
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.82
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.46
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $2.17

1976
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.42
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.30
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.45
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $2.00

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1977
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.30
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.42
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.42
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.73

1978
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.50
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.80
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.48
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.85

1979
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.39
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.83
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.44
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.54

1980
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.35
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.13
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.43
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.31

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1981
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.53
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.24
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.49
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.35

1982
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.88
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.90
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.60
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.56

1983
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.84
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.65
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.58
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.48

1984
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.80
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.36
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.57
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.39

1985
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.86
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.36
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.59
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.39

1986
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.99
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.58
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.63
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.46

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1987
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.10
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.67
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.67
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.49

1988
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.85
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.95
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.59
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.26

1989
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.76
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.58
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.56
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.14

1990
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.08
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.02
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.66
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.28

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1991
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.20
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.07
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.70
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.30

1992
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.92
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.45
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.61
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.10

1993
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.03
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.55
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.65
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.13

1994
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.17
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.69
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.69
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.17

1995
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.20
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.64
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.70
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.16

1996
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.73
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.39
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.87
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.40

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1997
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.01
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.73
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.96
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.51

1998
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.79
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.32
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.89
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.37

1999
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.78
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.21
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.89
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.34

2000
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.26
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.77
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.04
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.52

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2001
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.39
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.82
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.08
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.54

2002
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.42
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.79
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.09
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.53

2003
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.61
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.94
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.15
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.57

2004
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.89
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.19
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.24
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.65

2005
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.85
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.97
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.23
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.58

2006
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.91
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.89
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.25
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.56

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2007
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.06
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.93
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.29
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.57

2008
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.03
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.71
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.28
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.50

2009
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.96
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.66
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.26
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.48

2010
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.26
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.93
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.36
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.57

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2011
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.84
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.42
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.54
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.73

2012
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.92
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.40
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.57
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.72

2013
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.21
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.64
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.66
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.80

2014
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.50
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.86
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.75
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.87

2015
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.16
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.49
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.64
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.75

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2016
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.19
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.45
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.65
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.74

2017
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.55
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.70
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.77
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.82

2018
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.42
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.42
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.73
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.73

Detailed findings:

As with bacon, egg consumption is growing, last year reaching more than 276 eggs per person, including those consumed in baked goods, ice cream, etc.. And according to projections, consumption will rise to 281.2 by 2019. Consumption in 1998 was 239.7 eggs per person.

Egg prices have fluctuated over the years, but not like those of bacon. A dozen large Grade A eggs in January of 1998 would have set you back an average of $1.12. In July of this year, the cost would have been $1.73. Between 1998 and the present day, the lowest price for a dozen eggs was $0.84 in June of 2000; the highest was $2.97 in September of 2015 — the year pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) devastated poultry stocks, causing a shortage of eggs.

While bacon prices may reflect production costs and supply and demand, supermarkets typically sell eggs cheap as a loss leader, meaning that they might actually lose money on them in an effort to bring customers into the store. The theory is that if people come in for low-priced staples like eggs and milk, they will almost certainly buy higher-margin items while they’re there. Like maybe a pound or two of bacon.

Methodology:

To determine the cost of bacon and eggs the year you were born, 24/7 Wall St. adjusted the average price of a pound of sliced bacon and a dozen grade A eggs as of July 2018 in U.S. cities for every year from 1940 to 2018. Bacon prices were adjusted using the annual consumer price index for bacon and related products; egg prices were adjusted using the consumer price index for eggs. Historical prices of bacon and eggs were adjusted for overall inflation using the annual consumer price index for all items. All data is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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