Beef Prices in the U.S.

Beef prices in U.S. grocery stores are the highest they’ve been in decades – and for many cuts, ever. This isn’t just a feeling at the checkout; it’s backed up by hard data from federal agencies and market reports.

Below is a deep dive into what shoppers are actually paying, why prices are so elevated, how beef compares with other proteins, and what might happen next.

1. What are U.S. shoppers paying for beef right now?

To understand the current situation, it helps to look at two complementary datasets:

• USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) – national “all-fresh beef retail value,” a weighted average of retail beef cuts.

• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) CPI “Average price” series – actual dollar prices per pound for specific items like ground beef and sirloin steak, compiled and published via the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis’s FRED database.

1.1 Snapshot: late 2025 beef prices, per pound

As of December 2025, national average prices in U.S. grocery stores looked roughly like this:

Table 1 – Average U.S. retail prices, December 2025 (BLS CPI “Average Price” series)

A few takeaways:

• Ground beef has crossed the $6.50–$7.00 per pound mark on average, with BLS reporting $6.82/lb for all uncooked ground beef in December 2025.

• Premium steaks are truly expensive: sirloin choice boneless averaged just over $14/lb in December 2025.

• Beef remains significantly more expensive than chicken and pork on a per-pound basis; boneless chicken breasts and pork chops are roughly $2.50–$3.50 cheaper per pound than sirloin and about $2.5 cheaper per pound than ground beef.

And it’s not just a December blip. In mid-2025, USDA-based data reported that ground beef hit record highs three months in a row: about $6.12 per pound in June, $6.25 in July, and $6.32 in August, according to reporting that compiled USDA retail data.

So the sticker shock shoppers are feeling in 2025–2026 is very real.

2. How beef prices have changed over time

While individual cuts fluctuate from month to month, the USDA ERS “all-fresh beef retail value” is a good way to see the bigger trend. It’s a national average of beef cut prices at the grocery store (a weighted mix of steaks, roasts, ground beef, etc.).

2.1 All-fresh beef retail value, 2019–2024

Table 2 – U.S. all-fresh beef retail value (USDA ERS)

(Nominal dollars per pound, annual average) 

What this shows:

• Steady climb – Between 2019 and 2024, the average retail value of beef rose from $5.82 to $8.01 per pound, an increase of about 37% in just five years.

• Pandemic to inflation era – 2020 saw an initial jump tied to pandemic-related disruptions, labor constraints, and processing plant shutdowns. Prices never really went back down; instead, they stepped up again in 2021–2022.

• New record in 2024 – The 2024 value of $8.01/lb is the highest annual all-fresh retail value in the USDA data series, and news outlets report that prices continued setting records into 2025.

News coverage lines up with these official figures. For example, articles in the Houston Chronicle and Reuters have documented record-high beef prices at U.S. grocery stores in 2025, driven by tight cattle supplies and strong demand.

3. Why are beef prices so high?

So what’s behind the numbers? Several overlapping forces are pushing grocery-store beef prices upward:

1. A shrunken cattle herd after years of drought

2. Higher input costs (feed, fuel, labor, interest rates)

3. Trade disruptions and disease-related import restrictions

4. Strong consumer demand, despite high prices

5. Structural issues in the supply chain, particularly packing and processing concentration

3.1 The smallest cattle herd in ~75 years

The single biggest driver is supply.

• USDA data show that the U.S. cattle herd has been shrinking since 2019, falling from about 94.7 million head to around 86.7 million head by 2025 – the lowest level since the early 1950s.

• Years of drought in key ranching states dried up grazing land and made it more expensive to produce hay and other feed, pushing ranchers to liquidate cows instead of rebuilding herds.

Fewer cattle eventually means less beef coming out of feedlots and packing plants, which translates into higher prices for wholesale beef and, ultimately, for consumers.

3.2 High feed, fuel, and financing costs

Even when grass is available, ranchers and feedlots face elevated costs:

• Feed grains (corn, soy) went through their own price spikes in the 2020–2022 period, and although prices have come down somewhat, feed remains more expensive than in the mid-2010s.

• Fuel, trucking, fertilizer, and equipment costs are all significantly higher than they were a decade ago, reflecting broad inflation in the economy.

• Higher interest rates raise the cost of carrying cattle inventories (a cow is basically a multi-year investment), making it riskier to expand herds.

These cost pressures show up in USDA’s retail value figures and in industry reports: ranchers and feedlots often see much of the price increase eaten up by higher input costs, meaning record retail prices don’t necessarily translate into record profits for producers.

3.3 Trade, disease outbreaks, and tariffs

Beef is a globally traded commodity. Changes in trade flows and biosecurity policies can influence U.S. supply:

• In 2025, U.S. authorities temporarily halted cattle imports from Mexico due to outbreaks of the flesh-eating screwworm parasite, tightening an already constrained supply of feeder cattle.

• At the same time, the U.S. increased tariffs on some imported beef (e.g., from Brazil), which raises the cost of imported product and reduces price relief on store shelves.

• Global meat markets are tight as well: the FAO meat price index hit record levels in 2025, with strong international demand (including from China and the U.S.) pushing beef prices up worldwide.

All of this means U.S. buyers can’t simply “import cheap beef” to offset domestic shortages.

3.4 Strong demand: Americans still love beef

High prices normally dampen demand. With beef, the response has been surprisingly modest:

• USDA data cited in news reports show per-capita beef consumption remaining strong, with Americans actually eating slightly more beef in 2025 than in 2024, even as prices hit records.

• In 2024, shoppers spent over $40 billion on fresh beef, more than half of all fresh-meat sales, according to industry data referenced by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association.

• Restaurant and grocery managers report that customers often adjust what cuts they buy (more ground beef, fewer premium steaks) but do not abandon beef altogether.

In economic terms, beef is behaving like a preferred but flexible staple: people will trade down in quality or quantity before they give it up.

3.5 Concentrated packing and processing

Another recurring theme in industry commentary is concentration in meatpacking:

• A large share of U.S. beef is processed by a handful of big packers, including multinational firms like JBS and National Beef.

• Critics argue that these companies can maintain margins by passing higher cattle costs through to retailers, while competitive pressures are weaker on the buying side (where they purchase live cattle from many small and mid-size ranchers).

• In late 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice opened investigations into meatpackers amid concerns that their pricing behavior was contributing to record beef prices.

The economics here are complex, but the practical implication for shoppers is simple: market structure influences how much of a cost shock turns into a retail price increase.

4. Beef vs. other proteins: why chicken keeps winning the value war

If you’re standing at the meat case trying to decide what to buy for dinner, relative prices matter more than any index.

The December 2025 BLS data above show:

• Ground beef (all uncooked) at $6.82/lb

• Boneless chicken breast at $4.15/lb

• All pork chops at $4.30/lb 

That means:

• Beef is roughly 64% more expensive than chicken breast on a per-pound basis (6.82 vs. 4.15).

• Beef is about 59% more expensive than pork chops (6.82 vs. 4.30).

For premium cuts, the gap is even larger:

• Sirloin steak choice boneless at more than $14/lb is over three times the price of chicken breast and more than three times pork chops.

Unsurprisingly, multiple industry and news reports note that some consumers are shifting toward chicken (and to a lesser extent pork) to stretch their budgets, even as many still try to keep beef on the menu for special meals and grilling.

5. What do “average prices” really measure?

It’s important to understand what these numbers do – and don’t – mean.

5.1 BLS “average prices” (CPI)

The BLS average prices:

• Are computed from prices collected in 75 urban areas used for the CPI and represent the U.S. city average.

• Are not adjusted for quality differences beyond basic product definitions (e.g., “all uncooked ground beef,” “sirloin steak choice boneless”).

• Are best for describing price levels at a point in time, while the CPI index for beef is better for analyzing percentage changes over time.

So the $6.82/lb ground beef figure is:

“If you sampled ground beef prices around the country in December 2025 and averaged them, this is roughly what you’d see.”

Your local price may be higher or lower depending on:

• Region

• Retail format (discount grocer vs. high-end supermarket)

• Brand (store brand vs. premium branded)

• Fat content, organic/grass-fed claims, and package size

5.2 USDA ERS Meat Price Spreads

The USDA ERS Meat Price Spreads dataset goes a step further by linking:

• Farm value (what cattle are worth on the hoof)

• Wholesale value (carcass and boxed beef leaving the packer)

• Retail value (grocery store prices for cuts)

This allows analysts to:

• See how much of each dollar spent at the store goes to the farmer, vs. the packer/processor and the retailer.

• Track the “farm-to-retail spread” – essentially the mark-up from live cattle to packaged meat.

ERS notes that these retail values and spreads are national summary statistics, updated monthly, and based heavily on BLS price data.

6. Inside the grocery meat case: variation by cut and product

Data from national retail reports and industry sources show that not all beef cuts move together:

• Ground beef is often featured in promotions and varies by fat content and package size; leaner or grass-fed options can command a substantial premium.

• Steaks (ribeye, strip, tenderloin, sirloin) tend to be the most expensive and show some of the fastest price growth, partly because they depend on relatively scarce parts of the animal.

• Roasts and stewing cuts can be somewhat cheaper per pound than premium steaks but have also risen in price as overall carcass values increased.

USDA’s weekly National Retail Beef Feature Activity report, for example, shows advertised prices like:

• Regular boneless strip steaks promoted near $13–$17 per pound, with organic and grass-fed versions often above $20/lb.

• Ground beef (80–89% lean) featured anywhere from around $4.50–$6.50/lb, depending on lean percentage, package size, and whether it’s conventional, organic, or “antibiotic-free.”

Those promotional prices can be lower than the BLS averages, especially during major grilling or holiday weeks, but they illustrate the range shoppers see in real circulars and online ads.

7. Regional differences: not as big as you’d think

You might assume that beef is dramatically cheaper in major ranching states (Texas, Nebraska, Kansas) than on the coasts. In practice:

• BLS CPI and ERS data suggest that regional price differences exist but are modest, especially once you account for taxes, distribution, and local competition.

• Research on regional beef price dynamics finds that U.S. beef markets are partially integrated: prices in different regions tend to move together over time, though not perfectly, and some regions react more strongly to shocks.

• USDA’s own analysts and industry economists note that national supply and demand conditions largely determine retail prices, even if individual stores run local promotions.

In other words, living in “cattle country” doesn’t guarantee cheap beef at the grocery store. Transportation costs, local retail competition, and national wholesale pricing all matter.

8. How much of your beef dollar goes back to the ranch?

One of the frustrations expressed by ranchers is that record grocery prices don’t translate into record incomes for them.

USDA’s price spread data and independent analyses show:

• The farm share of the retail beef dollar can fluctuate widely with cattle prices and retail margins but typically accounts for well under half of what you pay at the store.

• During periods of tight cattle supplies, cattle prices rise – benefitting ranchers – but wholesalers and retailers can also raise prices, and their margins may remain robust or even expand.

• When herds eventually rebuild and cattle prices fall, history suggests consumer prices rarely drop all the way back to prior lows, partly because other costs (labor, fuel, rent) tend to stay elevated.

That combination makes beef pricing politically sensitive: consumers blame high prices, ranchers blame packers and retailers, and policymakers debate whether to intervene.

9. What might happen to beef prices over the next few years?

Forecasting exact price levels is impossible, but the underlying drivers give some clues.

9.1 Herd rebuilding will be slow

Rebuilding the national cattle herd takes time:

• A cow has a nine-month gestation, and then it takes well over a year before a calf is ready for slaughter.

• Ranchers may choose to retain heifers for breeding, which actually reduces short-term beef supply while herds grow.

Industry analysts and large meatpackers expect tight cattle supplies to persist through at least 2027, suggesting that upward pressure on beef prices could continue for several years, even if the worst spikes ease.

9.2 Policy and trade could matter at the margins

Recent U.S. administrations have floated or implemented measures to address high beef prices, from probing meatpacking companies to tweaking tariffs and import quotas.

While policy changes can affect prices, they typically:

• Take time to work through supply chains.

• Offer only incremental relief compared with the fundamental forces of herd size, feed costs, and consumer demand.

9.3 Consumers may keep trading down, but not away

Data from 2024–2025 show:

• Shift towards chicken and cheaper proteins when beef prices spike, especially among lower-income households.

• Continued strong demand for beef as a “must-have” for grilling, holidays, and premium restaurant meals.

The likely future pattern: modest volume declines but sticky high prices, with many shoppers using strategies like smaller portions, more ground beef, and shopping sales to keep beef in their diets.

10. Practical tips for shoppers facing high beef prices

While this article is about the economic landscape, it’s worth ending with a few evidence-based strategies you can use at the store:

1. Watch unit prices carefully

   • BLS and USDA data are always per pound; your store label might show price per pound and per package. Check the per-pound figure when comparing different sizes or brands.

2. Buy in bulk and freeze

   • When your local store runs promotions similar to those seen in USDA’s weekly retail reports (e.g., 80–89% lean ground beef under the national average), buying larger packages and freezing can materially cut your effective cost per pound.

3. Trade cuts, not protein (if you love beef)

   • Economically, trading from ribeye or tenderloin down to sirloin, round, or chuck roasts – or to ground beef – captures much of the “beef experience” at a lower price point, though as of late 2025 even these “value” cuts are historically expensive.

4. Consider protein mixes

   • Blending beef with beans, lentils, or even mixing a smaller portion of ground beef with ground turkey or pork is increasingly common and can stretch the budget without eliminating beef entirely.

5. Time your purchases

   • USDA and industry data show increased promotions around major grilling holidays (Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day). Planning freezer-stocking around those windows can help.

Bottom line

For U.S. shoppers, beef has become a high-priced habit. Federal data show average grocery-store beef values climbing from around $5.80/lb in 2019 to over $8.00/lb in 2024, with ground beef and steaks hitting record monthly highs above $6 and $14 per pound, respectively, in late 2025.

The main culprits are shrinking cattle herds, higher production costs, and strong consumer demand, amplified by trade disruptions and a concentrated packing sector. Shoppers can blunt the impact by trading cuts, shopping sales, and mixing proteins—but as long as supplies remain tight and demand resilient, beef at the grocery store is likely to stay expensive by historical standards.