Egg prices have got a lot of attention in recent months as avian flu made this staple a luxury for US households. But the trend of food inflation in the US is a longstanding one.

Since January 2005, egg prices have grown 310%, from $1.21 a dozen to nearly $5 a dozen, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But it’s not the only household item to see a dramatic rise. Beef prices increased 125% and electricity prices have doubled. Inflation doesn’t happen consistently across all household items in part because the costs of production vary so much – producing a pound of oranges for supermarket shelves (about two medium-sized fruits) requires different amounts of water, labor and fertilizer than, say, a pound of milk (about 2 cups).

Meanwhile, the US federal minimum wage has remained unchanged since 2009 at just $7.25 an hour. That’s the price of about 19 eggs.

• The headline of this article was amended on 23 March 2025. An earlier version said eggs prices had tripled since January 2005, when quadrupled was meant.