Lemons
Lemon prices
U.S. city average · August 2026
Lemons averaged $2.11 per pound in August 2026; down 0.6% from last month; up 1.6% from last year, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average price data.
Chart shown: January 1980 – August 2026 · Full series: January 1980 – August 2026 (541 observations) · Source: BLS series APU0000711412.
Recent lemons price history
| Month | Price | Vs. prior month | Vs. year ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2026 | $2.11 | ▼ 0.6% | ▲ 1.6% |
| July 2026 | $2.13 | ▲ 0.9% | ▲ 6.5% |
| June 2026 | $2.11 | ▲ 0.9% | ▲ 12.1% |
| May 2026 | $2.09 | ▲ 2.9% | ▲ 10.2% |
| April 2026 | $2.03 | ▲ 1.4% | ▲ 5.4% |
| March 2026 | $2.00 | ▲ 2.5% | ▲ 1.0% |
| February 2026 | $1.96 | ▼ 0.8% | ▼ 4.9% |
| January 2026 | $1.97 | ▼ 0.3% | ▼ 5.2% |
| December 2025 | $1.98 | ▼ 2.4% | ▼ 6.8% |
| November 2025 | $2.02 | — | ▼ 4.3% |
| September 2025 | $2.08 | ▼ 0.2% | ▲ 3.9% |
| August 2025 | $2.08 | ▲ 4.2% | ▲ 6.2% |
| July 2025 | $2.00 | ▲ 6.1% | ▲ 0.4% |
| June 2025 | $1.88 | ▼ 0.8% | ▼ 4.8% |
| May 2025 | $1.90 | ▼ 1.6% | ▼ 1.4% |
| April 2025 | $1.93 | ▼ 2.8% | ▼ 2.8% |
| March 2025 | $1.98 | ▼ 3.6% | ▼ 2.5% |
| February 2025 | $2.06 | ▼ 1.2% | ▲ 1.0% |
Lemon prices fell 0.6% from July to August 2026. Lemon prices are 1.6% higher than a year ago. Prices remain below the October 2018 peak of $2.56 but well above the 1980 level of $0.68.
From lemons to the full grocery basket
Lemons reduced August’s basket change by $0.03.
What drives the price of lemons
Fresh lemon prices are seasonal and depend heavily on California and Arizona production, supplemented by imports from Mexico and the Southern Hemisphere during the domestic off-season. Weather and water availability in those growing regions are the main factors that move prices through the year.
BLS series APU0000711412 tracks the average retail price of lemons at the U.S. city average, measured per pound and reported monthly back to 1980.
Background: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service — Fruit and Tree Nuts. Price data: BLS series APU0000711412.
Lemons price FAQ
How much does a pound of lemons cost right now?
As of August 2026, lemons averaged $2.11 per pound at the national U.S. city average, per BLS CPI Average Price Data.
Are lemon prices going down in 2026?
The latest 2026 BLS reading shows lemons prices down 0.6% versus the prior month and up 1.6% versus a year ago (August 2026).
What is the highest price lemons have reached?
The record high is $2.56 per pound, set in October 2018; the record low is $0.58 in February 1980.
How many lemons are in a pound?
About 4 medium lemons weigh a pound, so at $2.11 per pound a single lemon costs roughly $0.53.
Where does this lemons 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 lemons cost in 2001?
In 2001, lemons averaged $1.08 per pound at the U.S. city average — versus $2.11 today (August 2026), about 95% higher now.
Cite this
Basket Report. "Average lemons price (U.S. city average)." Basket Report — Grocery Price Index. Retrieved September 11, 2026 from https://basketreport.com/prices/lemons/. Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series APU0000711412. <a href="https://basketreport.com/prices/lemons/">Average lemons price (U.S. city average) — Basket Report</a> (data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series APU0000711412; retrieved September 11, 2026) Basket Report. (2026). Average lemons price (U.S. city average) [Data set]. Basket Report — Grocery Price Index. https://basketreport.com/prices/lemons/