Milk prices follow the farm price of raw milk.
A gallon of whole, fortified milk averages $4.11 — 4.9% below the June 2026 record and −0.6% versus last year.
Where milk prices stand
Whole milk is within 5% of its BLS record high. A gallon of whole, fortified milk averaged $4.11 in September 2026, −0.6% from a year earlier and −2.9% from the prior month — leaving it 4.9% below the June 2026 record.
What drives milk prices
Farm milk supply depends on herd size, output per cow, feed and other production conditions. The retail carton price also includes processing, transport and store costs. Because milk is produced continuously and spoils fast, there is little room to store it, so prices shift as supply and demand move through the year. Federal milk marketing orders and dairy programs also shape what farmers are paid, but changes at the farm do not pass immediately or uniformly to the retail carton. The BLS observation measures the retail result without isolating these causes.
A real shelf price
Every figure here is the BLS average retail price for a gallon of whole milk, tracked monthly since July 1995 — an actual dollar amount shoppers paid, not a wholesale quote or a forecast.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a gallon of milk cost right now?
Whole, fortified milk averaged $4.11 per gallon at the U.S. city average in September 2026, per BLS CPI Average Price Data.
What influences milk prices?
Herd size, output per cow and feed costs influence farm supply; processing, transport and retail costs also affect the carton price. Milk is −0.6% year over year as of September 2026.
Is milk at a record high?
As of September 2026 milk is 4.9% below the June 2026 record of $4.32 (June 2026).
Sources and methodology
- BLS average retail food and energy prices
- USDA ERS dairy industry background
- Basket Report methodology
- Basket Report data downloads
Data through September 2026 · Editorial prose reviewed for September 2026 · Source data is independently analyzed by Basket Report and does not imply BLS endorsement.
Explore milk prices
See the full price history and how milk tracks the dairy herd and feed costs.