Tomatoes, field grown
Tomato prices
U.S. city average · September 2026
Tomatoes averaged $1.99 per pound in September 2026; up 0.8% from last month; up 4.3% from last year, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average price data.
Chart shown: January 1980 – September 2026 · Full series: January 1980 – September 2026 (555 observations) · Source: BLS series APU0000712311.
Recent tomatoes price history
| Month | Price | Vs. prior month | Vs. year ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 2026 | $1.99 | ▲ 0.8% | ▲ 4.3% |
| August 2026 | $1.98 | ▼ 1.3% | ▲ 2.7% |
| July 2026 | $2.00 | ▼ 7.0% | ▲ 11.7% |
| June 2026 | $2.15 | ▼ 13.5% | ▲ 24.0% |
| May 2026 | $2.49 | ▼ 7.4% | ▲ 46.0% |
| April 2026 | $2.69 | ▲ 19.2% | ▲ 50.0% |
| March 2026 | $2.26 | ▲ 18.6% | ▲ 24.0% |
| February 2026 | $1.90 | ▲ 6.2% | ▲ 2.9% |
| January 2026 | $1.79 | ▼ 2.7% | ▼ 12.6% |
| December 2025 | $1.84 | ▲ 0.7% | ▼ 11.0% |
| November 2025 | $1.83 | — | ▼ 10.0% |
| September 2025 | $1.91 | ▼ 0.8% | ▼ 1.3% |
| August 2025 | $1.93 | ▲ 7.4% | ▼ 3.6% |
| July 2025 | $1.79 | ▲ 3.2% | ▼ 7.8% |
| June 2025 | $1.74 | ▲ 1.9% | ▼ 5.8% |
| May 2025 | $1.71 | ▼ 4.9% | ▼ 8.3% |
| April 2025 | $1.79 | ▼ 1.4% | ▼ 8.6% |
| March 2025 | $1.82 | ▼ 1.6% | ▼ 11.0% |
Tomato prices rose 0.8% from August to September 2026. Tomato prices are 4.3% higher than a year ago. Prices remain below the April 2026 peak of $2.69 but well above the 1980 level of $0.70.
Why do produce prices change so much? →
From tomatoes to the full grocery basket
Tomatoes added $0.03 to September’s basket change.
What drives the price of tomatoes
Fresh tomato prices are highly seasonal and weather-sensitive. Supply rotates between Florida, California, and field and greenhouse growers in Mexico over the course of the year, so a cold snap, hurricane, or disease outbreak in whichever region is in season can move prices quickly. Tomatoes are perishable and cannot be held in storage, so there is no buffer stock to absorb a bad harvest.
BLS series APU0000712311 tracks the average retail price of tomatoes, field grown at the U.S. city average, measured per pound and reported monthly back to 1980.
Background: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service — Vegetables and Pulses. Price data: BLS series APU0000712311.
Tomatoes price FAQ
How much does a pound of tomatoes cost right now?
As of September 2026, tomatoes averaged $1.99 per pound at the national U.S. city average, per BLS CPI Average Price Data.
Are tomato prices going down in 2026?
The latest 2026 BLS reading shows tomatoes prices up 0.8% versus the prior month and up 4.3% versus a year ago (September 2026).
What is the highest price tomatoes have reached?
The record high is $2.69 per pound, set in April 2026; the record low is $0.55 in September 1982.
How much does one tomato cost?
About 3 medium field-grown tomatoes weigh a pound, so at $1.99 per pound a single tomato costs roughly $0.66.
Where does this tomatoes 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 tomatoes cost in 2001?
In 2001, tomatoes averaged $1.41 per pound at the U.S. city average — versus $1.99 today (September 2026), about 41% higher now.
Cite this
Basket Report. "Average tomatoes price (U.S. city average)." Basket Report — Grocery Price Index. Retrieved October 14, 2026 from https://basketreport.com/prices/tomatoes/. Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series APU0000712311. <a href="https://basketreport.com/prices/tomatoes/">Average tomatoes price (U.S. city average) — Basket Report</a> (data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series APU0000712311; retrieved October 14, 2026) Basket Report. (2026). Average tomatoes price (U.S. city average) [Data set]. Basket Report — Grocery Price Index. https://basketreport.com/prices/tomatoes/