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What was the cost of eggs in 2021 vs 2025
Executive summary
Retail egg prices averaged roughly $1–$2 per dozen in pre‑pandemic years but jumped sharply by 2024–2025; sources show monthly retail averages around $4.82 at the start of 2023 and spikes into the $5–$8 range in early 2025, with USDA and BLS figures counting increases of 41% (USDA projection) and a 53% year‑over‑year CPI rise for eggs from Jan 2024 to Jan 2025 [1] [2] [3]. Available sources do not give a single consolidated “2021 average” vs “2025 average” number, but multiple official series and news analyses cited below let you compare typical 2021 prices (rarely over $2 per dozen in many series) with the much higher 2025 levels driven by avian flu and supply shocks [4] [5] [6].
1. What the reporting shows: big jump from pre‑2023 levels to 2025 highs
Multiple analyses note eggs were relatively cheap for years before the recent crisis — “rarely broke the $2 barrier” up through 2021 in long‑run trackers — and then surged in 2023–2025, with consumer prices reaching record highs in early 2025 (more than $6 per dozen in some places in March 2025) [4] [5] [1]. The BLS‑based retail series used by FRED lists monthly prices and shows values in 2025 measured in the $3–$8 range depending on month and region [6].
2. 2021: baseline years and where to look for exact figures
The available sources do not state a single national 2021 annual average in the excerpts provided; however, multiple trackers and reporting establish that through 2021 egg prices were historically low relative to the 2024–25 surge and “rarely broke the $2 barrier” in many markets [4]. For a precise 2021 monthly or annual average you should consult the BLS series (APU0000708111) or the FRED download referenced in the sources, which hold the month‑by‑month data used by analysts [6].
3. 2025: extreme volatility and headline averages
2025 saw historically high volatility. USDA/ERS and news outlets cite retail averages and month‑by‑month peaks: USDA‑linked reporting records retail averages such as $5.12 per dozen in April 2025 after a March peak above $6 in some areas, and other trackers show wholesale and spot prices peaking around $8.17 per dozen in March [7] [5] [8]. USDA summary reporting and news stories cite projections of very large annual increases for 2025 — for example, USDA expected increases of roughly 41% (headline figure reported by Newsweek) or other USDA/ERS forecasts projecting a 20–24.8% increase depending on the series and timing [9] [10] [11].
4. Why prices rose: avian influenza and supply shocks
All sources point to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) as the primary immediate cause of the 2024–25 spike: large depopulation of egg‑laying flocks reduced supply (USDA/ERS cites tens of millions of layers culled and notes HPAI drove wholesale and retail spikes), contributing directly to the 2025 price surge [7] [5] [3]. Analysts also cite higher production costs and lingering supply‑chain issues as amplifiers [3] [4].
5. Differences between wholesale, retail and regional figures
Sources emphasize that wholesale prices swing more wildly than retail: wholesale indexes hit extreme highs (above $8 per dozen at times) while retail averages lag and fall more slowly (retail monthly averages reported around $5.12 in April 2025, down from March peaks) [7] [12] [8]. Regional markets varied — New York wholesale quotations reached $7.24 per dozen while the Midwest saw different levels — so national headlines can obscure local experience [10].
6. Conflicting projections and interpretation issues
Different agencies and media use different baselines and timeframes, producing divergent headline percentages: USDA projections appear as “about 20%” in one analysis (CNN Business) and as “increase 41% in 2025” in other reporting (Newsweek citing USDA), reflecting different metrics (monthly vs. annual, retail vs. wholesale) and release timing [10] [9]. Analysts warn that short‑term wholesale swings can produce larger percentage changes than annual averages, so compare like‑for‑like series when quoting percentages [7] [11].
7. How to get a clean 2021 vs 2025 comparison (practical next steps)
To generate a precise, apples‑to‑apples comparison: download the BLS “Average Price: Eggs, Grade A, Large (Cost per Dozen)” series (APU0000708111) from FRED or BLS for the specific months or annual averages you want; that series underpins the reporting cited here and will let you compute a 2021 annual mean vs a 2025 annual mean [6] [7]. If you need, I can pull the month‑by‑month BLS numbers from the provided series and calculate year averages and percent change using only the sources above.
Limitations and caveats: source excerpts here mix wholesale, retail, projected and monthly spot figures; they do not supply a single consolidated 2021 vs 2025 annual average in the provided snippets, so precise yearly comparators require retrieving the BLS/FRED numeric series cited above [6] [7].