Milk Prices Today
The average price of a gallon of whole milk, fortified in US cities was $4.11 in September 2026, down 12 cents (2.9%) from August 2026, and 0.6% lower than a year earlier. That is the lowest price since March 2026. The record is $4.32 a gallon, set in June 2026. Five years earlier, in September 2021, it was $3.58 — an increase of 14.5% since then.
Milk: average US price per gallon
Average Price: Milk, Fresh, Whole, Fortified (Cost per Gallon/3.8 Liters) in U.S. City Average (APU0000709112). Monthly, not seasonally adjusted.
Average price by year
| Year | Average | vs prior year | High | Low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (9 mo) | $4.17 | — | $4.32 | $4.03 |
| 2025 (11 mo) | $4.07 | — | $4.17 | $4.00 |
| 2024 | $3.98 | -1.1% | $4.14 | $3.86 |
| 2023 | $4.03 | -1.6% | $4.20 | $3.93 |
| 2022 | $4.09 | +15.4% | $4.22 | $3.79 |
| 2021 | $3.54 | +6.8% | $3.74 | $3.35 |
| 2020 | $3.32 | +9.3% | $3.54 | $3.20 |
| 2019 | $3.04 | +4.8% | $3.19 | $2.90 |
| 2018 | $2.90 | -10.2% | $2.96 | $2.84 |
| 2017 | $3.23 | +0.7% | $3.32 | $3.15 |
| 2016 | $3.20 | -6.3% | $3.31 | $3.06 |
| 2015 | $3.42 | -7.4% | $3.76 | $3.30 |
| 2014 | $3.69 | +6.7% | $3.86 | $3.55 |
| 2013 | $3.46 | -0.9% | $3.53 | $3.43 |
| 2012 | $3.49 | -2.2% | $3.58 | $3.40 |
Show 2011 back to 1995
| 2011 | $3.57 | +9.6% | $3.71 | $3.30 |
| 2010 | $3.26 | +4.8% | $3.33 | $3.14 |
| 2009 | $3.11 | -18.1% | $3.58 | $2.98 |
| 2008 | $3.79 | +8.3% | $3.96 | $3.66 |
| 2007 | $3.50 | +13.7% | $3.90 | $3.07 |
| 2006 | $3.08 | -3.3% | $3.22 | $2.98 |
| 2005 | $3.19 | +1.0% | $3.30 | $3.09 |
| 2004 | $3.16 | +14.3% | $3.57 | $2.79 |
| 2003 | $2.76 | +0.1% | $2.95 | $2.66 |
| 2002 | $2.76 | -4.4% | $2.82 | $2.68 |
| 2001 | $2.88 | +3.7% | $2.95 | $2.76 |
| 2000 | $2.78 | -2.2% | $2.81 | $2.75 |
| 1999 | $2.84 | +5.1% | $3.00 | $2.70 |
| 1998 | $2.70 | +3.4% | $2.86 | $2.62 |
| 1997 | $2.61 | -0.3% | $2.68 | $2.53 |
| 1996 | $2.62 | — | $2.75 | $2.53 |
| 1995 (6 mo) | $2.48 | — | $2.52 | $2.46 |
Average of the monthly prices in each calendar year. A year marked with a count is incomplete (the current year, or a month the agency did not publish), so it is not compared.
More breakfast & dairy prices
All prices →Frequently asked questions
How much does a gallon of milk cost?
The average price of a gallon of whole milk, fortified in US cities was $4.11 in September 2026, down 12 cents (2.9%) from August 2026, and 0.6% lower than a year earlier. That is the lowest price since March 2026.
What kind of milk is this price for?
Fresh, fortified whole milk, per gallon, averaged across US cities by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
How much has the price of milk changed since 2000?
The average price of whole milk, fortified was $2.78 a gallon in 2000 and $3.98 a gallon in 2024 (yearly averages), a change of +43%.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, via FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (series APU0000709112). The Bureau of Labor Statistics collects these prices every month in stores across the country while compiling the consumer price index, and publishes the U.S. city average about two weeks after the month ends. Average prices are not seasonally adjusted, and they track a fixed item definition, so they show what a typical shopper paid rather than the cheapest deal. Data checked Nov 6, 5:41 PM ET.