Butter Prices Price History
1950–2025 · BLS / USDA
The average retail price of salted Grade AA butter in the United States, tracked annually from 1950 through 2025. Butter has had one of the more interesting comeback stories in American food. Vilified for decades by nutritionists pushing margarine, it staged a full cultural rehabilitation starting around 2010 as dietary science shifted and cooking shows made real butter fashionable again. That surging demand, combined with tight dairy supplies and the 2022 "butterflation" panic, has pushed prices to nearly $5.00 per pound.
Source: BLS / USDA1950–2025
Price in 1950
$0.73
Price in 2025
$4.82
Total Change
+560.3%
Years Tracked
75
Butter Prices Over Time
1950Year Range2025
Compare to inflation: The chart above shows nominal (not inflation-adjusted) prices. Use the toggle to switch to inflation-adjusted values when available, or try the inflation calculator to convert any amount between years.
Key Insights
- Butter pulled off an unusual trick in the early 1990s — its price actually declined for several years running, dropping from $1.78 in 1980 to $1.44 in 1993, as dairy surpluses and government stockpiles kept a lid on costs.
- The 2022 "butterflation" spike to $4.48 per pound made national headlines and became a symbol of post-pandemic grocery inflation, driven by higher feed costs, labor shortages at processing plants, and strong holiday baking demand.
- Butter consumption per capita has risen nearly 25% since 2010, reversing a decades-long decline that began when margarine was promoted as the heart-healthy alternative — a recommendation that has since been largely walked back.
- At $4.82 per pound in 2025, butter costs roughly 6.6 times what it did in 1950, but that actually tracks closely with overall food inflation — making butter one of the few dairy products that hasn't dramatically outpaced the general grocery basket.
Year-by-Year Data
| Year | Price (USD per pound) | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | $0.73 | — |
| 1955 | $0.71 | -2.7% |
| 1960 | $0.75 | +5.6% |
| 1965 | $0.75 | +0.0% |
| 1970 | $0.87 | +16.0% |
| 1975 | $1.05 | +20.7% |
| 1976 | $1.14 | +8.6% |
| 1977 | $1.19 | +4.4% |
| 1978 | $1.26 | +5.9% |
| 1979 | $1.42 | +12.7% |
| 1980 | $1.78 | +25.4% |
| 1981 | $1.94 | +9.0% |
| 1982 | $2.04 | +5.2% |
| 1983 | $2.12 | +3.9% |
| 1984 | $2.05 | -3.3% |
| 1985 | $2.05 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | $2.11 | +2.9% |
| 1987 | $1.82 | -13.7% |
| 1988 | $1.83 | +0.5% |
| 1989 | $1.71 | -6.6% |
| 1990 | $1.53 | -10.5% |
| 1991 | $1.46 | -4.6% |
| 1992 | $1.46 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | $1.44 | -1.4% |
| 1994 | $1.54 | +6.9% |
| 1995 | $1.57 | +1.9% |
| 1996 | $1.75 | +11.5% |
| 1997 | $2.11 | +20.6% |
| 1998 | $2.42 | +14.7% |
| 1999 | $2.36 | -2.5% |
| 2000 | $2.43 | +3.0% |
| 2001 | $2.92 | +20.2% |
| 2002 | $2.71 | -7.2% |
| 2003 | $2.87 | +5.9% |
| 2004 | $2.68 | -6.6% |
| 2005 | $2.62 | -2.2% |
| 2006 | $2.72 | +3.8% |
| 2007 | $3.15 | +15.8% |
| 2008 | $3.19 | +1.3% |
| 2009 | $2.76 | -13.5% |
| 2010 | $3.04 | +10.1% |
| 2011 | $3.46 | +13.8% |
| 2012 | $3.16 | -8.7% |
| 2013 | $3.00 | -5.1% |
| 2014 | $3.24 | +8.0% |
| 2015 | $2.85 | -12.0% |
| 2016 | $2.89 | +1.4% |
| 2017 | $3.18 | +10.0% |
| 2018 | $3.23 | +1.6% |
| 2019 | $3.35 | +3.7% |
| 2020 | $3.42 | +2.1% |
| 2021 | $3.58 | +4.7% |
| 2022 | $4.48 | +25.1% |
| 2023 | $4.62 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $4.75 | +2.8% |
| 2025 | $4.82 | +1.5% |
Year1950
Price (USD per pound)$0.73
YoY Change—
Year1955
Price (USD per pound)$0.71
YoY Change-2.7%
Year1960
Price (USD per pound)$0.75
YoY Change+5.6%
Year1965
Price (USD per pound)$0.75
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1970
Price (USD per pound)$0.87
YoY Change+16.0%
Year1975
Price (USD per pound)$1.05
YoY Change+20.7%
Year1976
Price (USD per pound)$1.14
YoY Change+8.6%
Year1977
Price (USD per pound)$1.19
YoY Change+4.4%
Year1978
Price (USD per pound)$1.26
YoY Change+5.9%
Year1979
Price (USD per pound)$1.42
YoY Change+12.7%
Year1980
Price (USD per pound)$1.78
YoY Change+25.4%
Year1981
Price (USD per pound)$1.94
YoY Change+9.0%
Year1982
Price (USD per pound)$2.04
YoY Change+5.2%
Year1983
Price (USD per pound)$2.12
YoY Change+3.9%
Year1984
Price (USD per pound)$2.05
YoY Change-3.3%
Year1985
Price (USD per pound)$2.05
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1986
Price (USD per pound)$2.11
YoY Change+2.9%
Year1987
Price (USD per pound)$1.82
YoY Change-13.7%
Year1988
Price (USD per pound)$1.83
YoY Change+0.5%
Year1989
Price (USD per pound)$1.71
YoY Change-6.6%
Year1990
Price (USD per pound)$1.53
YoY Change-10.5%
Year1991
Price (USD per pound)$1.46
YoY Change-4.6%
Year1992
Price (USD per pound)$1.46
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1993
Price (USD per pound)$1.44
YoY Change-1.4%
Year1994
Price (USD per pound)$1.54
YoY Change+6.9%
Year1995
Price (USD per pound)$1.57
YoY Change+1.9%
Year1996
Price (USD per pound)$1.75
YoY Change+11.5%
Year1997
Price (USD per pound)$2.11
YoY Change+20.6%
Year1998
Price (USD per pound)$2.42
YoY Change+14.7%
Year1999
Price (USD per pound)$2.36
YoY Change-2.5%
Year2000
Price (USD per pound)$2.43
YoY Change+3.0%
Year2001
Price (USD per pound)$2.92
YoY Change+20.2%
Year2002
Price (USD per pound)$2.71
YoY Change-7.2%
Year2003
Price (USD per pound)$2.87
YoY Change+5.9%
Year2004
Price (USD per pound)$2.68
YoY Change-6.6%
Year2005
Price (USD per pound)$2.62
YoY Change-2.2%
Year2006
Price (USD per pound)$2.72
YoY Change+3.8%
Year2007
Price (USD per pound)$3.15
YoY Change+15.8%
Year2008
Price (USD per pound)$3.19
YoY Change+1.3%
Year2009
Price (USD per pound)$2.76
YoY Change-13.5%
Year2010
Price (USD per pound)$3.04
YoY Change+10.1%
Year2011
Price (USD per pound)$3.46
YoY Change+13.8%
Year2012
Price (USD per pound)$3.16
YoY Change-8.7%
Year2013
Price (USD per pound)$3.00
YoY Change-5.1%
Year2014
Price (USD per pound)$3.24
YoY Change+8.0%
Year2015
Price (USD per pound)$2.85
YoY Change-12.0%
Year2016
Price (USD per pound)$2.89
YoY Change+1.4%
Year2017
Price (USD per pound)$3.18
YoY Change+10.0%
Year2018
Price (USD per pound)$3.23
YoY Change+1.6%
Year2019
Price (USD per pound)$3.35
YoY Change+3.7%
Year2020
Price (USD per pound)$3.42
YoY Change+2.1%
Year2021
Price (USD per pound)$3.58
YoY Change+4.7%
Year2022
Price (USD per pound)$4.48
YoY Change+25.1%
Year2023
Price (USD per pound)$4.62
YoY Change+3.1%
Year2024
Price (USD per pound)$4.75
YoY Change+2.8%
Year2025
Price (USD per pound)$4.82
YoY Change+1.5%
Sources & Methodology
BLS average retail price for salted Grade AA stick butter, per pound, from CPI survey data. Reflects national urban averages.
Primary source: BLS / USDA
For a full explanation of how we collect and adjust data, see our methodology page.