The best time to buy potatoes, from 20 years of U.S. government shelf prices.
A small season
Potatoes are cheapest in December, but the season is small.
Over 2006–2025, December ran a typical 3% below trend and August 4% above, and December was below trend in 17 of 18 years. Worth knowing if you buy a lot of potatoes or can stock up; otherwise a store sale beats the calendar.
Most U.S. potatoes are harvested in the fall and stored, so supply is deepest through the winter.
Typical price each month compared with that year’s trend, 2006–2025. The bar is the median year; the thin line spans the middle half of years.
| Month | Typical vs trend | Middle half of years | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | −1.3% | −3% to −0.3% | 19 |
| February | −1.6% | −2.8% to −0.7% | 19 |
| March | −1.9% | −3% to −1.3% | 19 |
| April | −1.7% | −2.7% to −0.9% | 18 |
| May | −0.4% | −1.7% to +0.7% | 18 |
| June | +1.2% | −0.8% to +1.6% | 18 |
| July | +4% | +2.6% to +4% | 18 |
| August | +4% | +2% to +7% | 18 |
| September | +1.9% | +0.9% to +5% | 17 |
| October | +0.5% | −0.3% to +2% | 17 |
| November | −2.2% | −3% to −1.3% | 18 |
| December | −3% | −4% to −2.7% | 18 |
The U.S. average price of potatoes (per pound) was 99¢ in October 2026. At today’s price level, the typical December price is about 95¢ and the typical August price about $1.02.
Each row is one year; the dot is the month potatoes were cheapest relative to that year’s trend. December was the single cheapest month in 5 of 17 years; the rest of the time it moved around.
| Year | Cheapest month |
|---|---|
| 2024 | December |
| 2023 | December |
| 2022 | February |
| 2021 | November |
| 2018 | December |
| 2017 | March |
| 2016 | April |
| 2015 | November |
| 2014 | December |
| 2013 | March |
| 2012 | October |
| 2011 | December |
| 2010 | November |
| 2009 | November |
| 2008 | April |
| 2007 | February |
| 2006 | November |
What else is cheap in December: what’s cheap in December. Vegetables: tomatoes (Aug), iceberg lettuce (Aug), romaine (Jun), bell peppers (Sep), broccoli (May). All 39 foods: the grocery price calendar.
December. Over 2006–2025 the U.S. average price of potatoes in December was typically 3% below that year's trend, and below it in 17 of 18 years. August is the dearest month (4% above).
August, typically 4% above the year's trend price.
The U.S. average was 99¢ a pound in October 2026 (BLS Average Price Data).
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Average Price Data (U.S. city average, not seasonally adjusted), the shelf prices BLS collects every month for the Consumer Price Index, through October 2026. Seasonal pattern and every number on this page computed by Online List Maker; how.