Bacon and eggs is a classic American breakfast. We wake up many mornings craving the salty tang of bacon and the comforting taste of eggs. But if you have ventured to a grocery store lately, you have no doubt noticed the price of your favorite morning meal has risen dramatically. (Considering bacon and eggs are staples of brunch, the cost of your restaurant brunch has gone up, too. See the 25 best cities for brunch lovers.)
The most recent consumer price index estimates the price of bacon rose 18.2% between March 2021 and March of this year. In the same period, the cost of eggs shot up 11.2%.
Perhaps what makes the price hike for bacon and eggs so shocking is that for most of the 20th century, the cost of those items held pretty much steady. It wasn’t until 1973 that a pound of bacon hit the $1 mark, then breached it. Meanwhile, a dozen eggs cost less than a dollar until 1984. After that year, the price fluctuated to under a dollar or a bit over a dollar until 2002, when the price leveled at a dollar or more. Those prices, it should be noted, are not inflated-adjusted.
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 large grade A eggs in U.S. cities for every year from 1939 to 2021. Based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, bacon prices were adjusted using the annual consumer price index for bacon and related products, and 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.
It is not only inflation that has boosted bacon prices during the pandemic years. American consumers have demanded more pork products. At the same time, the cost of producing those products has risen. Same with eggs. The price of feeding the chickens has risen, while transporting the eggs to stores has increased, as well. There was also a spike in demand for eggs during the pandemic as more people cooked at home.
Still, Americans love their bacon and eggs. So it is to be seen if they will forgo their cherished breakfast just because of a high price tag. (Not everything has gone up in price recently. For example, the price of this household item is plunging.)
Click here to see the price of bacon and eggs the year you were born
1939
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.26
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.01
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.06
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.26
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1940
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.22
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.35
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.06
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.10
1941
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.28
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.22
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.07
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.32
1942
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.32
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.40
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.08
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.36
1943
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.34
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.33
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.09
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.34
1944
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.32
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.97
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.08
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.25
1945
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.32
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.89
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.08
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.23
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1946
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.43
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.91
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.11
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.49
1947
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.62
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $7.53
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.16
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.90
1948
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.61
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.88
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.15
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.74
1949
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.53
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.04
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.13
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.52
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1950
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.51
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.71
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.13
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.44
1951
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.53
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.57
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.13
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.41
1952
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.52
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.27
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.13
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.33
24/7 Wall St.
1953
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.63
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.38
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.16
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.61
1954
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.65
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.57
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.16
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.66
1955
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.53
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.31
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.13
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.34
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1956
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.46
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.63
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.12
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.17
1957
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.60
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.76
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.15
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.45
1958
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.64
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.99
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.16
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.51
1959
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.53
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.98
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.13
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.26
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1960
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.53
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.81
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.13
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.21
1961
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.57
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.19
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.14
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.31
1962
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.57
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.09
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.14
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.28
1963
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.55
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.87
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.14
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.23
1964
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.55
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.82
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.14
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.22
1965
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.67
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.79
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.17
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.46
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1966
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.79
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.62
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.20
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.67
1967
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.70
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.64
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.18
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.42
1968
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.68
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.27
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.17
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.33
1969
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.73
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.41
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.18
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.36
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1970
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.79
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.53
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.20
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.39
1971
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.67
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.49
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.17
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.13
1972
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.81
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.27
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.20
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.33
24/7 Wall St.
1973
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.12
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.84
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.28
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.72
1974
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.11
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.13
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.28
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.54
1975
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.50
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $7.55
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.38
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.90
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1976
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.46
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.96
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.37
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.76
1977
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.34
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.00
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.34
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.51
1978
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.54
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.41
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.39
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.62
1979
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.43
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.34
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.36
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.35
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1980
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.46
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.57
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.84
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.15
1981
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.67
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.69
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.90
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.18
1982
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.05
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.42
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.87
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.37
24/7 Wall St.
1983
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.94
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.14
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.89
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.30
1984
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.86
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.82
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.00
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.22
1985
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.94
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.82
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.80
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.22
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1986
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.08
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.07
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.87
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.28
1987
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.14
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.16
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.78
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.30
1988
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.88
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.37
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.79
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.10
1989
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.77
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.95
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.00
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.00
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1990
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.12
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.44
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.01
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.12
1991
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.22
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.50
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.99
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.14
1992
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.92
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.82
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.86
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $0.96
24/7 Wall St.
1993
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.93
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.93
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.91
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $0.99
1994
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.99
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.08
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.86
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.03
1995
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.99
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.03
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.92
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.02
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1996
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.47
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.86
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.11
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.23
1997
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.68
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.23
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.06
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.32
1998
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.54
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.77
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.04
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.20
1999
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.55
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.66
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.96
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.17
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2000
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.03
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.28
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.91
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.33
2001
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.25
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.34
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.93
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.35
2002
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.24
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.30
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.03
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.34
2003
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.20
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.47
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.24
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.38
2004
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.38
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.75
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.34
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.45
2005
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.39
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.50
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.22
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.39
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2006
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.44
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.41
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.31
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.36
2007
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.66
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.46
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.68
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.38
2008
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.66
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.22
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.99
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.32
2009
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.61
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.15
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.66
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.30
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2010
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.11
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.45
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.66
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.37
2011
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.63
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.99
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.77
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.51
2012
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.56
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.97
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.84
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.51
24/7 Wall St.
2013
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.29
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.24
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.91
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.57
2014
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.78
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.48
> Price of a dozen eggs: $2.02
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.63
2015
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.45
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.07
> Price of a dozen eggs: $2.47
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.53
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2016
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.42
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.03
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.68
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.52
2017
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.77
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.31
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.47
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.59
2018
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.47
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.05
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.74
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.53
2019
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.61
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.06
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.40
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.53
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2020
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.58
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.14
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.51
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.55
2021
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.64
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.64
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.67
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.67
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