Price of a pound of bananas by year, 1980–2025
A pound of bananas cost $0.342 on average in 1980 and $0.647 in 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The price rose 89% over those years while prices in general rose 291%, so, measured in 2025 dollars, it cost 52% less in 2025 than in 1980.
- Average in 1980
- $0.342
- Average in 2025
- $0.647
- Highest year, 2025
- $0.647
- Biggest one-year rise, 2008
- +19%
- Against inflation
- Trailed it by 52%
Every year
The table lists all 46 years with data, from 1980 to 2025. Select a year to see what everything else cost that year.
| Year | Average price | In 2025 dollars | Change from year before |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | $0.342 | $1.34 | — |
| 1981 | $0.362 | $1.28 | +6% |
| 1982 | $0.354 | $1.18 | −2% |
| 1983 | $0.386 | $1.25 | +9% |
| 1984 | $0.359 | $1.11 | −7% |
| 1985 | $0.367 | $1.10 | +2% |
| 1986 | $0.385 | $1.13 | +5% |
| 1987 | $0.365 | $1.03 | −5% |
| 1988 | $0.418 | $1.14 | +15% |
| 1989 | $0.449 | $1.17 | +7% |
| 1990 | $0.463 | $1.14 | +3% |
| 1991 | $0.481 | $1.14 | +4% |
| 1992 | $0.458 | $1.05 | −5% |
| 1993 | $0.439 | $0.978 | −4% |
| 1994 | $0.462 | $1.00 | +5% |
| 1995 | $0.49 | $1.04 | +6% |
| 1996 | $0.49 | $1.01 | 0% |
| 1997 | $0.487 | $0.977 | −1% |
| 1998 | $0.494 | $0.976 | +1% |
| 1999 | $0.491 | $0.949 | −1% |
| 2000 | $0.501 | $0.937 | +2% |
| 2001 | $0.507 | $0.922 | +1% |
| 2002 | $0.507 | $0.907 | 0% |
| 2003 | $0.509 | $0.891 | 0% |
| 2004 | $0.495 | $0.844 | −3% |
| 2005 | $0.492 | $0.811 | −1% |
| 2006 | $0.50 | $0.798 | +2% |
| 2007 | $0.51 | $0.792 | +2% |
| 2008 | $0.609 | $0.911 | +19% |
| 2009 | $0.611 | $0.917 | 0% |
| 2010 | $0.58 | $0.856 | −5% |
| 2011 | $0.61 | $0.873 | +5% |
| 2012 | $0.602 | $0.844 | −1% |
| 2013 | $0.60 | $0.829 | 0% |
| 2014 | $0.598 | $0.813 | 0% |
| 2015 | $0.583 | $0.792 | −3% |
| 2016 | $0.573 | $0.769 | −2% |
| 2017 | $0.563 | $0.739 | −2% |
| 2018 | $0.574 | $0.736 | +2% |
| 2019 | $0.574 | $0.723 | 0% |
| 2020 | $0.578 | $0.719 | +1% |
| 2021 | $0.60 | $0.713 | +4% |
| 2022 | $0.637 | $0.701 | +6% |
| 2023 | $0.63 | $0.666 | −1% |
| 2024 | $0.62 | $0.636 | −2% |
| 2025 | $0.647 | $0.647 | +4% |
Decade by decade
In the 1980s, a pound of bananas averaged $0.379, from a low of $0.342 in 1980 to a high of $0.449 in 1989. Across the 1990s the yearly average ran from $0.439 in 1993 to $0.494 in 1998, for a decade average of $0.476. The 2000s averaged $0.524: the most expensive year was 2009 at $0.611 and the cheapest 2005 at $0.492. In the 2010s, a pound of bananas averaged $0.586, from a low of $0.563 in 2017 to a high of $0.61 in 2011. Across the 2020s the yearly average ran from $0.578 in 2020 to $0.647 in 2025, for a decade average of $0.619.
Every five years in this record: 1980 $0.342, 1985 $0.367, 1990 $0.463, 1995 $0.49, 2000 $0.501, 2005 $0.492, 2010 $0.58, 2015 $0.583, 2020 $0.578 and 2025 $0.647. From 2021 to 2025, the most recent years of data, the average rose 8%, from $0.60 to $0.647.
Against inflation
In 2025 dollars, the 1980 average of $0.342 is worth $1.34. The actual 2025 average was $0.647. So after adjusting for inflation, a pound of bananas cost 52% less in 2025 than in 1980, even though the price on the shelf went up.
Highs, lows and big moves
The highest yearly average in this record is $0.647 in 2025, and the lowest is $0.342 in 1980. The biggest one-year increase was 19%, from $0.51 in 2007 to $0.609 in 2008. The biggest one-year decrease was 7%, from $0.386 in 1983 to $0.359 in 1984.
Of the 9 items in fruit and vegetables tracked here, 4 rose faster than inflation over their full records.
Average prices are U.S. city averages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (series APU0000711211), averaged over each calendar year. A year is included only when the Bureau published at least nine months of prices for it. Values in 2025 dollars use the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) annual average. See how Sticker Shock builds its data. Figures may contain errors and are not financial advice.