A new report by Gourmet Gift Baskets looked at how much fresh fruits cost in the United States in September 2025. We checked the prices of 120 types of fruit from thousands of stores. Here’s what we found about fruit prices, changes from last year, and how prices are different in different parts of the country.
Key Takeaways
- Fruit prices went up 2.2% compared to last year.
- Apples had the biggest price jumps—some types cost over 50% more than last year.
- The Southwest region benefits from 30-50% local fruit production.
Fruits and Vegetables Prices
Over the last ten years, fruit and vegetable prices went up about 20%. In the past year, the price of fruits alone rose by 2.2%.
Most Expensive and Affordable Fruits (September 2025)
The most expensive fruit (blackberries) costs almost 23 times as much as the cheapest one (limes). The spread between the highest- and lowest-priced fruits illustrates how costs can fluctuate in the fall season.
Comparing This Year and Last Year
- On average, fruit prices are up 2.2% compared to 2024.
- About 50% of fruits got more expensive, while 46% dropped in price.
- Apples posted the sharpest increases, showing how birthday staples can quickly become more expensive year over year.
Significant Price Decreases
Regional Cost Rankings
The Southeast pays the highest prices, up to 68% more than the South Central region. Regional data shows South Central offers the most affordable fruit prices, while Southeast consistently ranks as the most expensive.
- South Central consistently appears as most affordable across multiple fruit categories
- Southeast shows highest prices.
- Regional data availability varies significantly (11-32 fruits per region)
- Analysis represents single-week pricing snapshot from September 2025
- Price shifts also line up with changes in national fruit consumption, where availability and demand continue to evolve.
Methodology
Data Sources
- Primary: USDA National Retail Report – Specialty Crops (Week ending September 11, 2025)
- Regional: USDA Agricultural Marketing Service regional breakdowns (6 regions)
- Historical: Year-over-year comparison with September 2024 data
- Price Index: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Fruits and Vegetables in U.S. City Average
- Sample Size: 285,759 retail advertisements across major supermarket chains
Scope
- Six regions covered: Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, South Central, Southwest, Northwest
- Snapshot reflects early September 2025 conditions
Preparation
- Standardized fields (Commodity, Variety, Unit, Price), cleaned text, coerced numerics
- Kept three views:
- Per lb only
- Per each only
- Normalized to per lb (bags by weight label, oz to lb, each via commodity weight table)
Calculations
- Ranked most expensive and cheapest (Sept 2025)
- YOY changes where both years match: dollar and percent change
- Regional stats by Average_Price: item count, average, max, min; top and bottom items per region
Data Limitations and Methodology Notes
- Temporal Scope: Analysis represents snapshot of early September 2025 market conditions and may not reflect seasonal peaks or promotions.
- Geographic Coverage: Regional analysis covers major metropolitan areas within each region but may not capture rural pricing variations
- Local Production Estimates: Local production percentages based on USDA reporting and may vary by specific metropolitan area within regions.