If you’ve been to the grocery store lately, you’ve probably noticed that Iowa isn’t immune to increasing egg prices.
An outbreak of bird flu in 2022 caused egg prices to skyrocket, hitting an average high of $4.82 in January 2023, according to Forbes. Prices dropped some, but recent outbreaks have sent prices back up.
Consumers today are now finding bare shelves where eggs used to be, and some stores are limiting how many cartons can be purchased.
Prices in Iowa are better than in some other states. Here’s a look at what’s driving egg prices.
How much are egg prices supposed to go up in 2025?
According to the Department of Agriculture’s price outlook, egg prices are predicted to increase about 20% in 2025, compared to a 2.2% increase in overall food prices.
Eggs cost 36.8% more in December 2024 than they did in December 2023, but prices were still below the peak in January 2023, according to the USDA.
The outlook said retail egg prices climbed 8.4% in December 2024 and continued to experience “volatile month-to-month changes.”
The average cost of one dozen Grade A large eggs in December across the U.S. was $4.15 — up from $2.52 at the start of 2024, according to the Federal Reserve Bank.
Is bird flu really the reason egg prices are going up?
The USDA attributed the rise in egg costs to an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza, or bird flu, which has caused a strain in supply.
The Centers for Disease Control has confirmed 67 cases of people with bird flu in the U.S., including one death in Louisiana.
During the past three years, bird flu has been reported in more than 145 million birds in 618 counties and all 50 states, according to CDC data as of Jan. 24.
An outbreak was confirmed at the start of February in a commercial laying operation in northwest Iowa — the second confirmed outbreak of the year. Since 2022, almost 30 million birds have been destroyed in Iowa to limit the spread of the disease.
It can take farms months to recover after an outbreak since most chickens don’t begin laying eggs until they are 18-22 weeks old, according to the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
More: See where bird flu has caused the most devastation in Iowa and across America
Map: Confirmed cases of human cases of bird flu since 2024
Dairy cattle are a major source of H5 bird flu exposure for humans
Is there really a shortage of eggs or is it panic buying?
Consumers are creating a shortage because of an issue that’s both real and perceived, similar to what has happened with toilet paper in the past, said Saloni Vastani, an associate professor of marketing at Emory University.
“Egg prices are going up because of the avian flu, but that’s driving people to buy more eggs than they usually do because they’re anticipating higher prices and reduced grocery store supply,” Vastani told USA TODAY.
That constrains the supply both because of bird flu, which results in some eggs being destroyed before they reach store shelves, and over-buying by some shoppers, she said.
“And as shelves empty, there’s more panic and more of a rush to buy more eggs,” said Vastani.
Why are egg prices so high?
Comparing egg prices from December to December 2023, the latest price information available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index, egg prices have increased nationwide by 65.1%.
The average cost in December 2024 for a dozen Grade A eggs in the U.S. was $4.15 compared to $2.51 in December 2023.
According to a USDA report out Jan. 24, retail egg prices increased by 8.4% in December 2024 and continue to experience volatile month-to-month changes.
Compare egg prices at Walmart, Hy-Vee, Fareway in Iowa
We checked the prices for popular grocery stores in Des Moines to see how prices compared to other parts of the country.
Walmart
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Great Value, Large White Eggs: $5.36
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Marketside Cage-Free Brown Eggs: $8.98
Hy-Vee
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Hy-Vee Grade A Large Eggs: $5.98
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Farmers Hen House Free Range Grade A Large Brown Eggs: $5.99
Fareway
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Country Daybreak Large White Eggs: $5.99
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Farmers Hen House Organic Large Brown Eggs: $5.99
Compare Iowa egg prices to other stores in US
Compare the price of a dozen eggs at these locations around the U.S.:
Santa Clara, California
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Walmart
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Egglands Best Grade A Cage Free Large Brown Eggs: $9.26
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Egglands Best Grade A Cage Free Large White Eggs: $9.20
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Lubbock, Texas
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H-E-B
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Eggland’s Best Grade A Cage Free Extra Large White Eggs: $6.95
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Eggland’s Best Grade A Cage Free Large White Eggs: $6.53
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Walmart
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Eggland’s Best 100% USDA Organic Certified Large Brown Eggs: $6.14
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Eggland’s Extra Large White eggs: $3.62
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Shelby, North Carolina
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Ingles
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Eggland’s Best Grade A Large White Eggs: $3.98
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Eggland’s Best Grade A Extra Large White Eggs: $4.28
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Walmart
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Eggland’s Best Grade A Large White Eggs: $5.47
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Eggland’s Best Grade A Extra Large White Eggs: $5.73
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Mt. Pocono, Pennsylvania
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ShopRite
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Eggland’s Best Grade A Large White Eggs: $5.47
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Walmart
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Eggland’s Best Grade A Large White Eggs: $5.49
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Knoxville, Tennessee
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Kroger
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Eggland’s Best Grade A Large White Eggs: $4.79 each
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Eggland’s Best Grade A Extra Large White Eggs: $4.99 each
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Walmart
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Eggland’s Best Grade A Large White Eggs: $5.77
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Eggland’s Best Grade A Extra Large White Eggs: $5.86 each
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Phoenix, Arizona
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Fry’s/Kroger
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Eggland’s Best Cage Free Large White Eggs: $4.39
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Eggland’s Best Cage Free Extra Large White Eggs: $4.79
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Walmart
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Eggland’s Best Cage Free Large White Eggs: $6.02
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Reno, Nevada
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Safeway
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Eggland’s Best Grade A Large White Eggs: $5.99
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Eggland’s Best Grade A Extra Large White Eggs: $6.99
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Walmart
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Eggland’s Best Grade A Large White Eggs: $5.42
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Eggland’s Best Grade A Extra Large White Eggs: $5.52
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Is Fareway limiting egg purchases?
Fareway spokesperson Elias Johnson said the grocer is not limiting the number of eggs consumers can buy.
“The conventional white egg supply is tight, but we are securing enough product to handle our customer’s needs,” Johnson said.
Are Walmart, Sam’s Club limiting egg purchases?
“Walmart does not currently have a purchase limit on eggs, and although supply is very tight in some areas, we’re working with suppliers to try and help meet customer demand, while striving to keep prices as low as possible,” the spokesperson told USA TODAY.
Sam’s Club, however, is setting limits on egg purchases.
“We continue to limit the number of egg purchases to two per item. And we’re working with our suppliers to meet demand and continue delivering value to our members,” the retailer said in a statement.
Contributors: Anthony Robledo, Mary Walrath-Holdridge, Janet Loehrke, Peggy Santoro, Shelby Slade, Allison Kiehl, Maria Francis, Joyce Orlando, Brandi Addison, USA TODAY Network
Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @VictoriaReynaR.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: How much do eggs cost in Iowa? See how other states compare
