Rice, white, long grain, uncooked
Rice prices
U.S. city average · August 2026
Rice averaged $1.11 per pound in August 2026; up 1.0% from last month; up 4.9% 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 (534 observations) · Source: BLS series APU0000701312.
Recent rice price history
| Month | Price | Vs. prior month | Vs. year ago |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2026 | $1.11 | ▲ 1.0% | ▲ 4.9% |
| July 2026 | $1.10 | ▲ 1.0% | ▲ 3.0% |
| June 2026 | $1.09 | ▲ 1.7% | ▲ 2.6% |
| May 2026 | $1.07 | ▼ 0.5% | ▲ 0.4% |
| April 2026 | $1.08 | ▲ 1.5% | ▲ 4.4% |
| March 2026 | $1.06 | ▼ 1.3% | ▲ 2.1% |
| February 2026 | $1.07 | ▲ 1.4% | ▲ 4.3% |
| January 2026 | $1.06 | ▼ 1.6% | ▲ 5.1% |
| December 2025 | $1.08 | ▲ 1.0% | ▲ 4.3% |
| November 2025 | $1.07 | — | ▲ 0.4% |
| September 2025 | $1.06 | ▲ 0.1% | ▼ 1.7% |
| August 2025 | $1.06 | ▼ 0.8% | ▼ 2.4% |
| July 2025 | $1.07 | ▲ 0.7% | ▲ 2.8% |
| June 2025 | $1.06 | ▼ 0.6% | ▲ 4.2% |
| May 2025 | $1.07 | ▲ 3.5% | ▲ 6.5% |
| April 2025 | $1.03 | ▼ 0.7% | ▲ 0.6% |
| March 2025 | $1.04 | ▲ 0.8% | ▲ 2.4% |
| February 2025 | $1.03 | ▲ 2.2% | ▲ 2.9% |
Rice prices rose 1.0% from July to August 2026. Rice prices are 4.9% higher than a year ago. Prices remain above the August 2026 high of $1.11 and well above the 1980 level of $0.48.
From rice to the full grocery basket
Rice added $0.02 to August’s basket change.
What drives the price of rice
Rice is one of the steadiest grocery staples. The United States grows most of the rice it consumes — mainly in Arkansas, California, and the Gulf states — and exports a large share of its crop, so domestic supply is fairly insulated from world-market swings. Because milled rice stores well for long stretches, a single poor harvest is cushioned by carryover stocks, and retail prices tend to drift slowly with growing costs rather than spike.
BLS series APU0000701312 tracks the average retail price of rice, white, long grain, uncooked at the U.S. city average, measured per pound and reported monthly back to 1980.
Background: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service — Rice. Price data: BLS series APU0000701312.
Rice price FAQ
How much does a pound of rice cost right now?
As of August 2026, rice averaged $1.11 per pound at the national U.S. city average, per BLS CPI Average Price Data.
Are rice prices going down in 2026?
The latest 2026 BLS reading shows rice prices up 1.0% versus the prior month and up 4.9% versus a year ago (August 2026).
What is the highest price rice has reached?
The record high is $1.11 per pound, set in August 2026; the record low is $0.39 in July 1987.
Where does this rice 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.
Cite this
Basket Report. "Average rice price (U.S. city average)." Basket Report — Grocery Price Index. Retrieved September 11, 2026 from https://basketreport.com/prices/rice/. Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series APU0000701312. <a href="https://basketreport.com/prices/rice/">Average rice price (U.S. city average) — Basket Report</a> (data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series APU0000701312; retrieved September 11, 2026) Basket Report. (2026). Average rice price (U.S. city average) [Data set]. Basket Report — Grocery Price Index. https://basketreport.com/prices/rice/