Coffee Prices Price History
1950–2025 · Bureau of Labor Statistics
The average retail price of a pound of ground roast coffee in the United States, tracked from 1950 to 2025. Few grocery staples have had a wilder ride. Coffee prices have been whipsawed for decades by Brazilian frost events, civil wars in producing countries, and speculative commodity trading. A pound that cost under a dollar in the 1950s briefly tripled during the 1977 frost panic, settled back down, then began a relentless climb after 2010 that shows no signs of stopping.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics1950–2025
Price in 1950
$0.79
Price in 2025
$6.10
Total Change
+672.2%
Years Tracked
75
Coffee 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
- A pound of ground coffee cost just $0.79 in 1950. By 2025 it has climbed to $6.10 — a nearly eightfold increase in nominal terms.
- The devastating Brazilian frost of 1975 sent prices from $1.12 to $2.84 by 1977, the sharpest two-year spike in the dataset and a shock that still echoes in commodity markets.
- After hovering in the $2.50–$3.00 range for most of the 1980s and 1990s, coffee broke above $4.00 in 2011 and has stayed elevated ever since, driven by rising demand from Asia and recurring supply disruptions.
- The post-pandemic surge pushed prices from $3.80 in 2020 to $6.10 in 2025 — a 60% jump in just five years, fueled by drought in Brazil, shipping bottlenecks, and strong global demand.
Year-by-Year Data
| Year | Price (USD per pound) | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | $0.79 | — |
| 1951 | $0.85 | +7.6% |
| 1952 | $0.83 | -2.4% |
| 1953 | $0.82 | -1.2% |
| 1954 | $1.10 | +34.1% |
| 1955 | $0.93 | -15.5% |
| 1956 | $0.93 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | $0.97 | +4.3% |
| 1958 | $0.89 | -8.2% |
| 1959 | $0.75 | -15.7% |
| 1960 | $0.75 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | $0.73 | -2.7% |
| 1962 | $0.69 | -5.5% |
| 1963 | $0.67 | -2.9% |
| 1964 | $0.72 | +7.5% |
| 1965 | $0.74 | +2.8% |
| 1966 | $0.73 | -1.4% |
| 1967 | $0.71 | -2.7% |
| 1968 | $0.71 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | $0.72 | +1.4% |
| 1970 | $0.91 | +26.4% |
| 1971 | $0.85 | -6.6% |
| 1972 | $0.82 | -3.5% |
| 1973 | $0.87 | +6.1% |
| 1974 | $0.97 | +11.5% |
| 1975 | $1.12 | +15.5% |
| 1976 | $1.52 | +35.7% |
| 1977 | $2.84 | +86.8% |
| 1978 | $2.67 | -6.0% |
| 1979 | $2.52 | -5.6% |
| 1980 | $2.83 | +12.3% |
| 1981 | $2.52 | -11.0% |
| 1982 | $2.48 | -1.6% |
| 1983 | $2.39 | -3.6% |
| 1984 | $2.63 | +10.0% |
| 1985 | $2.56 | -2.7% |
| 1986 | $3.18 | +24.2% |
| 1987 | $2.64 | -17.0% |
| 1988 | $2.76 | +4.5% |
| 1989 | $2.80 | +1.4% |
| 1990 | $2.95 | +5.4% |
| 1991 | $2.67 | -9.5% |
| 1992 | $2.29 | -14.2% |
| 1993 | $2.27 | -0.9% |
| 1994 | $2.72 | +19.8% |
| 1995 | $3.07 | +12.9% |
| 1996 | $2.99 | -2.6% |
| 1997 | $3.62 | +21.1% |
| 1998 | $3.19 | -11.9% |
| 1999 | $2.81 | -11.9% |
| 2000 | $2.80 | -0.4% |
| 2001 | $2.63 | -6.1% |
| 2002 | $2.56 | -2.7% |
| 2003 | $2.56 | +0.0% |
| 2004 | $2.68 | +4.7% |
| 2005 | $2.82 | +5.2% |
| 2006 | $2.95 | +4.6% |
| 2007 | $3.13 | +6.1% |
| 2008 | $3.42 | +9.3% |
| 2009 | $3.39 | -0.9% |
| 2010 | $3.62 | +6.8% |
| 2011 | $4.52 | +24.9% |
| 2012 | $4.43 | -2.0% |
| 2013 | $4.21 | -5.0% |
| 2014 | $4.60 | +9.3% |
| 2015 | $4.25 | -7.6% |
| 2016 | $3.96 | -6.8% |
| 2017 | $3.82 | -3.5% |
| 2018 | $3.74 | -2.1% |
| 2019 | $3.71 | -0.8% |
| 2020 | $3.80 | +2.4% |
| 2021 | $4.02 | +5.8% |
| 2022 | $5.18 | +28.9% |
| 2023 | $5.45 | +5.2% |
| 2024 | $5.72 | +5.0% |
| 2025 | $6.10 | +6.6% |
Year1950
Price (USD per pound)$0.79
YoY Change—
Year1951
Price (USD per pound)$0.85
YoY Change+7.6%
Year1952
Price (USD per pound)$0.83
YoY Change-2.4%
Year1953
Price (USD per pound)$0.82
YoY Change-1.2%
Year1954
Price (USD per pound)$1.10
YoY Change+34.1%
Year1955
Price (USD per pound)$0.93
YoY Change-15.5%
Year1956
Price (USD per pound)$0.93
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1957
Price (USD per pound)$0.97
YoY Change+4.3%
Year1958
Price (USD per pound)$0.89
YoY Change-8.2%
Year1959
Price (USD per pound)$0.75
YoY Change-15.7%
Year1960
Price (USD per pound)$0.75
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1961
Price (USD per pound)$0.73
YoY Change-2.7%
Year1962
Price (USD per pound)$0.69
YoY Change-5.5%
Year1963
Price (USD per pound)$0.67
YoY Change-2.9%
Year1964
Price (USD per pound)$0.72
YoY Change+7.5%
Year1965
Price (USD per pound)$0.74
YoY Change+2.8%
Year1966
Price (USD per pound)$0.73
YoY Change-1.4%
Year1967
Price (USD per pound)$0.71
YoY Change-2.7%
Year1968
Price (USD per pound)$0.71
YoY Change+0.0%
Year1969
Price (USD per pound)$0.72
YoY Change+1.4%
Year1970
Price (USD per pound)$0.91
YoY Change+26.4%
Year1971
Price (USD per pound)$0.85
YoY Change-6.6%
Year1972
Price (USD per pound)$0.82
YoY Change-3.5%
Year1973
Price (USD per pound)$0.87
YoY Change+6.1%
Year1974
Price (USD per pound)$0.97
YoY Change+11.5%
Year1975
Price (USD per pound)$1.12
YoY Change+15.5%
Year1976
Price (USD per pound)$1.52
YoY Change+35.7%
Year1977
Price (USD per pound)$2.84
YoY Change+86.8%
Year1978
Price (USD per pound)$2.67
YoY Change-6.0%
Year1979
Price (USD per pound)$2.52
YoY Change-5.6%
Year1980
Price (USD per pound)$2.83
YoY Change+12.3%
Year1981
Price (USD per pound)$2.52
YoY Change-11.0%
Year1982
Price (USD per pound)$2.48
YoY Change-1.6%
Year1983
Price (USD per pound)$2.39
YoY Change-3.6%
Year1984
Price (USD per pound)$2.63
YoY Change+10.0%
Year1985
Price (USD per pound)$2.56
YoY Change-2.7%
Year1986
Price (USD per pound)$3.18
YoY Change+24.2%
Year1987
Price (USD per pound)$2.64
YoY Change-17.0%
Year1988
Price (USD per pound)$2.76
YoY Change+4.5%
Year1989
Price (USD per pound)$2.80
YoY Change+1.4%
Year1990
Price (USD per pound)$2.95
YoY Change+5.4%
Year1991
Price (USD per pound)$2.67
YoY Change-9.5%
Year1992
Price (USD per pound)$2.29
YoY Change-14.2%
Year1993
Price (USD per pound)$2.27
YoY Change-0.9%
Year1994
Price (USD per pound)$2.72
YoY Change+19.8%
Year1995
Price (USD per pound)$3.07
YoY Change+12.9%
Year1996
Price (USD per pound)$2.99
YoY Change-2.6%
Year1997
Price (USD per pound)$3.62
YoY Change+21.1%
Year1998
Price (USD per pound)$3.19
YoY Change-11.9%
Year1999
Price (USD per pound)$2.81
YoY Change-11.9%
Year2000
Price (USD per pound)$2.80
YoY Change-0.4%
Year2001
Price (USD per pound)$2.63
YoY Change-6.1%
Year2002
Price (USD per pound)$2.56
YoY Change-2.7%
Year2003
Price (USD per pound)$2.56
YoY Change+0.0%
Year2004
Price (USD per pound)$2.68
YoY Change+4.7%
Year2005
Price (USD per pound)$2.82
YoY Change+5.2%
Year2006
Price (USD per pound)$2.95
YoY Change+4.6%
Year2007
Price (USD per pound)$3.13
YoY Change+6.1%
Year2008
Price (USD per pound)$3.42
YoY Change+9.3%
Year2009
Price (USD per pound)$3.39
YoY Change-0.9%
Year2010
Price (USD per pound)$3.62
YoY Change+6.8%
Year2011
Price (USD per pound)$4.52
YoY Change+24.9%
Year2012
Price (USD per pound)$4.43
YoY Change-2.0%
Year2013
Price (USD per pound)$4.21
YoY Change-5.0%
Year2014
Price (USD per pound)$4.60
YoY Change+9.3%
Year2015
Price (USD per pound)$4.25
YoY Change-7.6%
Year2016
Price (USD per pound)$3.96
YoY Change-6.8%
Year2017
Price (USD per pound)$3.82
YoY Change-3.5%
Year2018
Price (USD per pound)$3.74
YoY Change-2.1%
Year2019
Price (USD per pound)$3.71
YoY Change-0.8%
Year2020
Price (USD per pound)$3.80
YoY Change+2.4%
Year2021
Price (USD per pound)$4.02
YoY Change+5.8%
Year2022
Price (USD per pound)$5.18
YoY Change+28.9%
Year2023
Price (USD per pound)$5.45
YoY Change+5.2%
Year2024
Price (USD per pound)$5.72
YoY Change+5.0%
Year2025
Price (USD per pound)$6.10
YoY Change+6.6%
Sources & Methodology
BLS average retail price data for ground roast coffee, 100% arabica, per pound. Pre-1980 figures estimated from USDA Economic Research Service historical tables.
Primary source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
For a full explanation of how we collect and adjust data, see our methodology page.