Price of a pound of white potatoes by year, 1986–2025
A pound of white potatoes cost $0.252 on average in 1986 and $0.963 in 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Its sharpest one-year jump came in 1989, when the average rose 31% from 1988. The price rose 282% over those years while prices in general rose 194%, so, measured in 2025 dollars, it cost 30% more in 2025 than in 1986.
- Average in 1986
- $0.252
- Average in 2025
- $0.963
- Highest year, 2023
- $1.00
- Biggest one-year rise, 1989
- +31%
- Against inflation
- Beat it by 30%
Every year
The table lists all 40 years with data, from 1986 to 2025. Select a year to see what everything else cost that year.
| Year | Average price | In 2025 dollars | Change from year before |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | $0.252 | $0.74 | — |
| 1987 | $0.276 | $0.782 | +10% |
| 1988 | $0.261 | $0.71 | −5% |
| 1989 | $0.342 | $0.888 | +31% |
| 1990 | $0.371 | $0.914 | +8% |
| 1991 | $0.33 | $0.78 | −11% |
| 1992 | $0.305 | $0.70 | −8% |
| 1993 | $0.348 | $0.775 | +14% |
| 1994 | $0.374 | $0.812 | +7% |
| 1995 | $0.379 | $0.801 | +1% |
| 1996 | $0.381 | $0.782 | +1% |
| 1997 | $0.356 | $0.714 | −7% |
| 1998 | $0.376 | $0.743 | +6% |
| 1999 | $0.394 | $0.761 | +5% |
| 2000 | $0.38 | $0.71 | −4% |
| 2001 | $0.39 | $0.709 | +3% |
| 2002 | $0.493 | $0.882 | +26% |
| 2003 | $0.458 | $0.801 | −7% |
| 2004 | $0.454 | $0.774 | −1% |
| 2005 | $0.471 | $0.776 | +4% |
| 2006 | $0.534 | $0.853 | +13% |
| 2007 | $0.525 | $0.815 | −2% |
| 2008 | $0.631 | $0.944 | +20% |
| 2009 | $0.622 | $0.933 | −1% |
| 2010 | $0.577 | $0.852 | −7% |
| 2011 | $0.677 | $0.969 | +17% |
| 2012 | $0.659 | $0.924 | −3% |
| 2013 | $0.668 | $0.923 | +1% |
| 2014 | $0.674 | $0.917 | +1% |
| 2015 | $0.65 | $0.883 | −4% |
| 2016 | $0.681 | $0.913 | +5% |
| 2017 | $0.724 | $0.951 | +6% |
| 2018 | $0.74 | $0.949 | +2% |
| 2019 | $0.767 | $0.966 | +4% |
| 2020 | $0.811 | $1.01 | +6% |
| 2021 | $0.78 | $0.927 | −4% |
| 2022 | $0.906 | $0.997 | +16% |
| 2023 | $1.00 | $1.06 | +10% |
| 2024 | $0.982 | $1.01 | −2% |
| 2025 | $0.963 | $0.963 | −2% |
Decade by decade
In the 1980s, a pound of white potatoes averaged $0.283, from a low of $0.252 in 1986 to a high of $0.342 in 1989. Across the 1990s the yearly average ran from $0.305 in 1992 to $0.394 in 1999, for a decade average of $0.361. The 2000s averaged $0.496: the most expensive year was 2008 at $0.631 and the cheapest 2000 at $0.38. In the 2010s, a pound of white potatoes averaged $0.682, from a low of $0.577 in 2010 to a high of $0.767 in 2019. Across the 2020s the yearly average ran from $0.78 in 2021 to $1.00 in 2023, for a decade average of $0.907.
Every five years in this record: 1990 $0.371, 1995 $0.379, 2000 $0.38, 2005 $0.471, 2010 $0.577, 2015 $0.65, 2020 $0.811 and 2025 $0.963. From 2021 to 2025, the most recent years of data, the average rose 23%, from $0.78 to $0.963.
Against inflation
In 2025 dollars, the 1986 average of $0.252 is worth $0.74. The actual 2025 average was $0.963. So a pound of white potatoes outpaced prices in general: after adjusting for inflation, it cost 30% more in 2025 than in 1986.
Highs, lows and big moves
The highest yearly average in this record is $1.00 in 2023, and the lowest is $0.252 in 1986. The biggest one-year increase was 31%, from $0.261 in 1988 to $0.342 in 1989. The biggest one-year decrease was 11%, from $0.371 in 1990 to $0.33 in 1991.
Of the 9 items in fruit and vegetables tracked here, 4 rose faster than inflation over their full records, and this is one of them. This record starts in 1986, the first year with at least nine months of Bureau prices.
Average prices are U.S. city averages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (series APU0000712112), 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.