Cheddar cheese, natural

Cheddar prices

U.S. city average · September 2026

$6.13 per pound

▲ 2.5% MoM ▲ 1.4% YoY

Cheddar cheese averaged $6.13 per pound in September 2026; up 2.5% from last month; up 1.4% from last year, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average price data.

At a record high

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Cheddar cheese price history Average price (USD per pound) · Monthly

Chart shown: January 1984 – September 2026 · Full series: January 1984 – September 2026 (497 observations) · Source: BLS series APU0000710212.

Quick take

Cheddar cheese prices rose 2.5% from August to September 2026. Cheddar cheese prices are 1.4% higher than a year ago. Prices remain at the September 2026 high and well above the 1984 level of $3.05.

How BLS measures this average price →

See cheddar cheese in the Summer Cookout Index →

Cheddar cheese price history by year

Every historical year is consolidated into one complete archive with annual averages, monthly prices, and inflation-adjusted values.

Browse the complete cheddar cheese price history →

Explore this price

From cheddar cheese to the full grocery basket

Cheddar cheese added $0.15 to September’s basket change.

Relevant explainerHow BLS measures this average price Price historySee the complete cheddar cheese series 2026 monthly tableJump to this year’s observations Basket Index contributionCheddar cheese added $0.15 to September’s basket change. Related pricesBrowse dairy & eggs Similar stapleAmerican Cheese or Eggs

What drives the price of cheddar cheese

Cheese prices reflect the farm price of milk and how much of the milk supply is directed into cheese vats rather than other dairy products. Because cheese ages and stores, inventories and the wholesale price discovered at exchange auctions feed through to the retail shelf, so prices can move even when farm milk prices are steady.

BLS series APU0000710212 tracks the average retail price of cheddar cheese, natural at the U.S. city average, measured per pound and reported monthly back to 1984.

Background: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service — Dairy. Price data: BLS series APU0000710212.

Cheddar cheese price FAQ

How much does a pound of cheddar cheese cost right now?

As of September 2026, cheddar cheese averaged $6.13 per pound at the national U.S. city average, per BLS CPI Average Price Data.

Are cheddar cheese prices going down in 2026?

The latest 2026 BLS reading shows cheddar cheese prices up 2.5% versus the prior month and up 1.4% versus a year ago (September 2026).

What is the highest price cheddar cheese has reached?

The record high is $6.13 per pound, set in September 2026; the record low is $2.92 in July 1996.

Where does this cheddar cheese price data come from?

From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI Average Price Data program, retrieved via the BLS Public Data API. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.

How much did cheddar cheese cost in 2001?

In 2001, cheddar cheese averaged $3.87 per pound at the U.S. city average — versus $6.13 today (September 2026), about 58% higher now.

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// Source: Basket Report · BLS APU0000710212

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Plain text

Basket Report. "Average cheddar cheese price (U.S. city average)." Basket Report — Grocery Price Index. Retrieved October 14, 2026 from https://basketreport.com/prices/cheese/. Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series APU0000710212.

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<a href="https://basketreport.com/prices/cheese/">Average cheddar cheese price (U.S. city average) — Basket Report</a> (data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series APU0000710212; retrieved October 14, 2026)

APA

Basket Report. (2026). Average cheddar cheese price (U.S. city average) [Data set]. Basket Report — Grocery Price Index. https://basketreport.com/prices/cheese/