Egg prices are climbing once more, adding pressure to household budgets already stretched by months of grocery inflation.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), egg prices jumped over 28% in August compared to a year earlier. That makes eggs the fastest-rising grocery item in the country right now.
The main reason? Bird flu.
Bird flu, or avian influenza, mostly affects birds. In rare cases, it can infect people, but the bigger issue right now is what it’s doing to farms.
One particular strain (H5N1) spreads quickly in tightly packed environments like commercial chicken farms. If a single bird gets sick, the entire flock is often culled to stop the virus. That has led to millions of egg-laying hens being wiped out.
Since early 2022, more than 100 million birds have been affected across 48 US states, according to government data. That’s had a direct impact on supply and it’s now showing clearly at the checkout.
“Bird Flu Is the Number One Reason”
Phil Lempert, a grocery industry analyst, says the connection between bird flu and high prices is clear. “Bird flu is the number one reason for higher prices, absolutely,” he told CNN.
The USDA backs this up. Egg production dropped 2.6% in July, and the number of egg-laying hens has declined for two months in a row.
Why has bird flu made eggs more expensive?
It comes down to supply. When bird flu is found on a farm, the entire flock is often killed (even if only one bird is infected). That’s standard protocol to stop the virus spreading.
Fewer hens means fewer eggs. And when there aren’t enough eggs to go around, prices jump. It’s simple economics: less supply, same demand, higher cost.
Until farms can safely rebuild their flocks, prices are likely to stay higher than usual. That’s why outbreaks like this ripple through the grocery aisle so quickly.
Some States Are Feeling It More Than Others
The national average for a dozen eggs is now $3.20. That’s above pre-pandemic levels, when prices typically stayed below the $3 mark.
In states like Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Alabama, the hit is even harder. Prices there have more than doubled compared to before COVID.
Fewer Producers, Bigger Impact
Beyond bird flu, there’s another issue: industry consolidation.
A handful of companies control roughly two-fifths of the U.S. egg-laying hen population. Because of this setup, when disruptions happen, it’s harder to bounce back.
When prices climbed in 2023, Cal-Maine Foods (the largest egg producer in the country) reported profits up over 700%. That kind of massive gain didn’t go unnoticed, with many pointing out that a more concentrated market is more vulnerable to shocks like this one.
💡 Put simply
When one company holds that much market share (like Cal-Maine) it doesn’t take much to tilt the whole market. A shock like bird flu hits, and instead of prices easing back down, they stick. Less competition (or at least fewer competitors of the same size) means there’s not as much pressure to lower prices.
So, the concern wasn’t just the profit itself. It was what that profit said about the structure of the market, and who really pays the price when things go wrong (hint: it’s consumers).
For Low-Income Families, It’s a Bigger Burden
Higher egg prices hurt everyone, but the impact hits low-income families hardest. Many rely on eggs as an affordable protein option, especially those using food assistance programs like SNAP.
Lempert put it plainly: “Going from $2 per dozen eggs to $4 or $5 is a big jump on a tight budget.”
Still, even at current prices, eggs are often cheaper than other sources of protein—and they pack a strong nutritional punch.
What You Can Do to Make Your Eggs Go Further
If you’re paying more for eggs, it makes sense to stretch them a little further.
One smart option? Freeze them. Just crack them open, whisk them briefly, and pour into a sealed container or an ice cube tray. They’ll hold up well in the freezer (for months with no real drop in quality).
If you want to be creative (and have the time) you can also pickle them, dehydrate them, or even store hard-boiled eggs in oil.
Tricks like these won’t change the price tag at the store, but they can help you get more out of what you already have.