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The bacon fad may or may not be abating somewhat, but there’s no disputing that we’re eating more of it than ever. Bacon consumption levels were at historical highs last year, according to The National Provisioner, a food business trade publication. Bacon has been appearing in all menu categories — even desserts and beverages, both of which saw a 17% rise in bacon use over 2016.

Bacon has long been an essential part of the American diet, at least for carnivores, even before people started putting it in candy canes, coffee, soda, and other places it probably doesn’t belong. It can attract non-carnivores, too: Bacon has been called the ultimate “conversion food” because it tempts even the most ardent vegetarians.

Bacon prices have risen and fallen substantially over the years. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average price of a pound of sliced bacon has more than doubled over just the past two decades from $2.64 in January of 1998 to $5.42 in July of this year. Along the way, though, it hit even higher marks, reaching $6.37 in September of 2017 — and the price has been trending downward since that peak.

Price swings for bacon are so notable that for 50 years, pork bellies — the meat American bacon is made from — were traded as a commodity on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, with frozen bellies stockpiled as a hedge against rising seasonal pork prices. (The trade was halted in 2011 as seasonal demand for the meat evened out.)

While it may appear in many guises today, bacon is inextricably linked above all to another form of protein: the egg. Bacon and eggs is as emblematic a food combination as salt and pepper, chips and salsa, or burgers and fries.

Click here for the price of bacon and eggs the year you were born.
Click here to see our detailed findings and methodology.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

1940
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.22
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.93
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.07
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.25

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Source: National Archives and Records Administration, Franklin D. Roosevelt Library (NLFDR) / Wikimedia Commons

1941
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.28
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.72
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.09
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.50

Source: Australian War Memorial collection / Wikimedia Commons

1942
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.32
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.88
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.10
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.55

Source: pingnews.com / Flickr

1943
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.33
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.82
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.11
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.53

Source: U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation / Wikimedia Commons

1944
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.31
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.50
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.10
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.43

Source: National Archives and Records Administration / Wikimedia Commons

1945
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.32
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.42
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.10
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.41

Source: Wikimedia Commons

1946
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.41
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.34
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.13
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.70

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Source: National Archives and Records Administration / Wikimedia Commons

1947
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.60
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.81
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.19
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $2.17

Source: Wikimedia Commons

1948
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.60
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.22
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.19
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.98

Source: The U.S. National Archives / Flickr

1949
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.52
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.46
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.16
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.74

Source: National Archives and Records Administration / Wikimedia Commons

1950
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.49
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.17
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.16
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.64

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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

1951
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.52
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.04
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.17
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.60

Source: Wikimedia Commons

1952
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.50
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.77
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.16
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.52

Source: Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

1953
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.61
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.77
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.19
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.84

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Source: Seattle Municipal Archives / Wikimedia Commons

1954
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.63
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.94
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.20
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.89

Source: Seattle Municipal Archives / Wikimedia Commons

1955
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.51
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.80
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.16
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.53

Source: ABC Television / Wikimedia Commons

1956
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.45
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.19
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.14
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.33

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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

1957
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.58
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.20
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.18
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.66

Source: National Archives and Records Administration / Wikimedia Commons

1958
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.62
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.41
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.20
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.72

Source: The Sporting News Archives / Wikimedia Commons

1959
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.52
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.50
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.17
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.43

Source: Alden Jewell / Wikimedia Commons

1960
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.51
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.35
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.16
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.38

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Source: The U.S. National Archives / Wikimedia Commons

1961
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.56
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.69
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.18
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.49

Source: Wikimedia Commons

1962
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.55
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.60
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.18
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.46

Source: Executive Office of the President of the United States / Wikimedia Commons

1963
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.53
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.40
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.17
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.40

Source: Harry Pot, / Wikimedia Commons

1964
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.54
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.36
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.17
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.39

Source: Seattle Municipal Archives / Wikimedia Commons

1965
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.65
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.23
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.21
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.67

Source: Nationaal Archief / Wikimedia Commons

1966
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.77
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.98
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.25
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.91

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Source: JOHN LLOYD / Flickr

1967
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.68
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.10
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.22
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.62

Source: Ollie Atkins, White House photographer / Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

1968
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.66
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.76
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.21
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.52

Source: NASA / Wikimedia Commons

1969
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.71
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.89
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.23
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.56

Source: CBS Television / Wikimedia Commons

1970
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.77
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.00
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.25
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.59

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Source: Leena A. Krohn / Wikimedia Commons

1971
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.65
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.06
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.21
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.29

Source: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration / Wikimedia Commons

1972
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $0.79
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.76
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.25
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.52

Source: sterferg / Wikimedia Commons

1973
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.09
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.18
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.35
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.97

Source: ABC Television / Wikimedia Commons

1974
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.08
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.54
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.35
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.76

Source: O'Halloran, Thomas J. / Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

1975
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.46
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.82
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.46
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $2.17

Source: White House Photograph Courtesy Gerald R. Ford Library / Wikimedia Commons

1976
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.42
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $6.30
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.45
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $2.00

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Source: Derzsi Elekes Andor / Wikimedia Commons

1977
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.30
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.42
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.42
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.73

Source: Steve Morgan / Wikimedia Commons

1978
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.50
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.80
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.48
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.85

Source: Thomas J. O'Halloran, U.S. News & World Report / Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

1979
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.39
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.83
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.44
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.54

Source: Bogaerts, Rob / Anefo / Wikimedia Commons

1980
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.35
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.13
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.43
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.31

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Source: White House Photographic Office / The National Archives and Records Administration / Wikimedia Commons

1981
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.53
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.24
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.49
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.35

Source: Wikimedia Commons

1982
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.88
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.90
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.60
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.56

Source: Wikimedia Commons

1983
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.84
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.65
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.58
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.48

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Source: Marcin Wichary / Wikimedia Commons

1984
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.80
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.36
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.57
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.39

Source: Wikimedia Commons

1985
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.86
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.36
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.59
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.39

Source: A1C Nancy Smelser / Wikimedia Commons

1986
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.99
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.58
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.63
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.46

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Source: Virginia Tehan / Wikimedia Commons

1987
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.10
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.67
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.67
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.49

Source: National Park Service / Wikimedia Commons

1988
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.85
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.95
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.59
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.26

Source: Library of Congress / Wikimedia Commons

1989
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.76
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.58
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.56
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.14

Source: Andrew Thomas / Wikimedia Commons

1990
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.08
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.02
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.66
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.28

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Source: U.S. Air Force / Wikimedia Commons

1991
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.20
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.07
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.70
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.30

Source: Gary B. Edstrom / Wikimedia Commons

1992
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $1.92
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.45
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.61
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.10

Source: Official White House photograph / Wikimedia Commons

1993
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.03
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.55
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.65
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.13

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Source: Andrea Booher / FEMA / Wikimedia Commons

1994
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.17
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.69
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.69
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.17

Source: NASA / Wikimedia Commons

1995
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.20
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.64
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.70
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.16

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

1996
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.73
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.39
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.87
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.40

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Source: Kees de Vos / Wikimedia Commons

1997
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.01
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.73
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.96
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.51

Source: Flickr user Kevin Jarrett / Wikimedia Commons

1998
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.79
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.32
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.89
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.37

Source: Grj23 / Wikimedia Commons

1999
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $2.78
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.21
> Price of a dozen eggs: $0.89
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.34

Source: Rob Boudon / Wikimedia Commons

2000
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.26
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.77
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.04
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.52

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Source: SFC Thomas R. Roberts / Wikimedia Commons

2001
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.39
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.82
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.08
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.54

Source: Sergeant Joseph R. Chenelly, United States Marine Corps / Wikimedia Commons

2002
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.42
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.79
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.09
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.53

Source: National Archive Catalog / Wikimedia Commons

2003
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.61
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.94
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.15
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.57

Source: Tech. Sgt. Jerry Morrison Jr., U.S. Air Force / Wikimedia Commons

2004
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.89
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.19
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.24
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.65

Source: Jocelyn Augustino / Wikimedia Commons

2005
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.85
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.97
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.23
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.58

Source: Kjetil Ree / Wikimedia Commons

2006
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.91
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.89
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.25
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.56

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Source: Ben Stanfield / Wikimedia Commons

2007
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.06
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.93
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.29
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.57

Source: CODEPINK Women For Peace / Wikimedia Commons

2008
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.03
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.71
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.28
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.50

Source: Master Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo, U.S. Air Force / Wikimedia Commons

2009
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $3.96
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.66
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.26
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.48

Source: U.S. Coast Guard / Wikimedia Commons

2010
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.26
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.93
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.36
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.57

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Source: David Shankbone / Wikimedia Commons

2011
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.84
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.42
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.54
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.73

Source: New Jersey National Guard / Wikimedia Commons

2012
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $4.92
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.40
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.57
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.72

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Source: White House / Sonya Hebert / Wikimedia Commons

2013
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.21
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.64
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.66
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.80

Source: TechCrunch / Wikimedia Commons

2014
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.50
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.86
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.75
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.87

Source: Difference engine / Wikimedia Commons

2015
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.16
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.49
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.64
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.75

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Source: Krassotkin, Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons

2016
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.19
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.45
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.65
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.74

Source: Wikimedia Commons

2017
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.55
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.70
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.77
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.82

Source: LauriPatterson / Getty Images

2018
> Price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.42
> Inflation-adjusted price of 1 pound of bacon: $5.42
> Price of a dozen eggs: $1.73
> Inflation-adjusted price of a dozen eggs: $1.73

Detailed findings:

As with bacon, egg consumption is growing, last year reaching more than 276 eggs per person, including those consumed in baked goods, ice cream, etc.. And according to projections, consumption will rise to 281.2 by 2019. Consumption in 1998 was 239.7 eggs per person.

Egg prices have fluctuated over the years, but not like those of bacon. A dozen large Grade A eggs in January of 1998 would have set you back an average of $1.12. In July of this year, the cost would have been $1.73. Between 1998 and the present day, the lowest price for a dozen eggs was $0.84 in June of 2000; the highest was $2.97 in September of 2015 — the year pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) devastated poultry stocks, causing a shortage of eggs.

While bacon prices may reflect production costs and supply and demand, supermarkets typically sell eggs cheap as a loss leader, meaning that they might actually lose money on them in an effort to bring customers into the store. The theory is that if people come in for low-priced staples like eggs and milk, they will almost certainly buy higher-margin items while they’re there. Like maybe a pound or two of bacon.

Methodology:

To determine the cost of bacon and eggs the year you were born, 24/7 Wall St. adjusted the average price of a pound of sliced bacon and a dozen grade A eggs as of July 2018 in U.S. cities for every year from 1940 to 2018. Bacon prices were adjusted using the annual consumer price index for bacon and related products; egg prices were adjusted using the consumer price index for eggs. Historical prices of bacon and eggs were adjusted for overall inflation using the annual consumer price index for all items. All data is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.