Updated July 6.
Retail egg prices jumped 4.0% in May after rising 1.5% in April, according to the latest consumer price index from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Prices are now down 35.2% from a year ago, however.
The average retail price of a dozen eggs was $2.19 in May, which was actually down from April. The figure is based on the average price paid by the consumer, and can vary from the price calculations in the CPI.
Settlement reached after price-fixing allegations
On June 30, the Antitrust Division of the Department of Justice, together with 17 state attorneys general, announced a civil lawsuit accusing three large national egg producers of working together to manipulate prices from June 2022 to March 2025, when the DOJ announced its investigation.
Simultaneously, the DOJ announced a settlement with the three producers. If approved by courts, the settlement would direct the companies to pay $3.3 million and donate 53 million eggs to food banks, in addition to placing restrictions designed to prevent a recurrence. The companies deny any wrongdoing. They are: Cal-Maine Foods Inc.; Hickman’s Egg Ranch Inc.; and Centrum Valley Holdings LLC, Versova Holdings LLC and Versova Management Cooperative (which operate collectively as Versova).
The companies do not admit any wrongdoing.
The time span in question includes a period when egg prices spiked to more than $6 a dozen, driven primarily by avian flu outbreaks that led to the destruction of millions of laying hens. Skyrocketing egg prices were a campaign issue in the 2024 presidential election.
Egg prices overall have climbed down steadily from their historic highs of early 2025. Those spikes in late 2024 and early 2025 were driven by a virulent strain of avian flu that was devastating flocks nationwide that has largely subsided.
In recent years, farmers have battled a fatal strain of bird flu that has persistently disrupted the U.S. egg supply. Large-scale outbreaks of the virus across multiple states from October to February took a massive toll on the U.S. flock of egg-laying hens. With limited supplies, shoppers at the time encountered skyrocketing prices, buying restrictions, empty store shelves and restaurant surcharges on eggs.
Meet MoneyNerd, your weekly news decoder
So much news. So little time. NerdWallet's new weekly newsletter makes sense of the headlines that affect your wallet.
Egg prices now sharply lower than a year ago
The average cost of a dozen Grade A large eggs was $2.19 in May, down from $2.25 in April and less than half of the $6.23 recorded at their peak in March 2025, according to data from the BLS, retrieved from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis’ FRED site.
» Stay informed:
- Check out NerdWallet's news hub for all the latest.
- Subscribe to one of NerdWallet's free newsletters.
The latest consumer price index, or CPI, however, shows the price index of eggs rose 4.0% from May. Prices are down 35.2% from May 2025. Food prices overall rose 4.2% in the past year.
Avian flu remains a threat, and tariffs could impact prices as well, now that the U.S. has ramped up imports of shell eggs and other egg products (such as liquid eggs and dried eggs).
» MORE: Will prices ever go down?
BLS data tracking egg prices goes back to at least 1980, when large, Grade A eggs cost $0.88 a dozen, not adjusted for inflation. Before February 2022, the average cost of a dozen had largely stayed below $2. The price of eggs more than doubled from the beginning of 2022 until hitting a peak of $4.82 per dozen in January 2023. Prices largely fell until September 2023 before returning to a steady climb. A new price record was set in March 2025 at $6.23 per dozen.
Why are eggs so expensive?
Egg prices have repeatedly hit record highs because of H5N1, a highly transmissible and fatal strain of avian influenza, or bird flu, that has devastated flocks of egg-laying hens.
Outbreaks started in early 2022 and quickly grew into the largest bird flu outbreak in U.S. history. When an outbreak occurs, egg producers are forced to cull their flocks, per USDA policy, which impacts the supply of eggs headed for grocery stores.
Generally, as the number of egg-layers shrinks, egg supplies tighten and egg prices rise. That’s for at least two reasons: First, consumer demand for eggs has held steady despite persistently high prices. The mismatch between supply and demand tends to drive prices up.
While cases are well off their peak, bird flu remains a threat.
