THE GROCERY PRICE INDEX

How much did bread cost in 1982?

Bread averaged $0.53 per lb in 1982 — about $1.84 in 2026 dollars.

Bread price in 1982 Monthly average price (USD per lb) · 1982
$0.53$0.53$0.54$0.54JanMarMayJulAugOctDecJan 1982$0.54Dec 1982$0.54basketreport.com

12 monthly observations · Source: BLS series APU0000702111.

In 1982, bread averaged $0.53 per lb at the U.S. city average, across all twelve months, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average price data. The monthly price ranged from $0.53 in June to $0.54 in January. Over the year it was little changed from $0.54 in January to $0.54 in December.

Adjusted for inflation, $0.53 in 1982 is worth about $1.84 in 2026 dollars. Today bread averages $1.83 per lb, so in real terms it is 1% cheaper than it was in 1982. In plain (unadjusted) dollars the price is up 245% versus the 1982 average.

1982 monthly prices

MonthPriceMoM
January $0.54 ▲ 3.1%
February $0.53 ▼ 0.6%
March $0.53 ▼ 1.5%
April $0.53
May $0.53 ▲ 0.6%
June $0.53 ▼ 0.8%
July $0.53 ▲ 1.7%
August $0.53
September $0.54 ▲ 0.4%
October $0.53 ▼ 0.4%
November $0.53
December $0.54 ▲ 0.6%
1982 average$0.53

FAQ

What was the average price of bread in 1982?

Bread averaged $0.53 per lb in 1982, based on 12 months of BLS average price data.

How much is $0.53 of 1982 bread worth today?

Adjusted for inflation with the CPI-U, $0.53 in 1982 is about $1.84 in 2026 dollars.

How does the 1982 price of bread compare to now?

Bread now averages $1.83 per lb, up 245% from the 1982 average of $0.53.

Cite this

Plain text
Basket Report. "Bread price in 1982 (U.S. average)." Basket Report — Grocery Price Index. Retrieved June 26, 2026 from https://basketreport.com/prices/bread/1982/. Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series APU0000702111.
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<a href="https://basketreport.com/prices/bread/1982/">Bread price in 1982 (U.S. average) — Basket Report</a> (data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series APU0000702111; retrieved June 26, 2026)
APA
Basket Report. (2026). Bread price in 1982 (U.S. average) [Data set]. Basket Report — Grocery Price Index. https://basketreport.com/prices/bread/1982/