Key takeaways

• Americans spend $605 a month on groceries, on average
• Northeastern states make up the majority of the top 10 grocery spenders
• Consumers in Maine spend the most on groceries each month, averaging $784

Price check on aisle 5: Average grocery prices are up 25.5% since the start of 2020, and rose 1.1% from 12 months ago, according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).¹

Foodflation hits home

For many Americans, their weekly grocery receipt is the most common reminder of inflation’s impact: 80% of Americans say they’ve felt a notable increase in the cost of groceries in the past 12 months.²

Now with digital shopping, consumers can easily review order history with the push of a button and compare how their cart total has changed over time. Instacart shoppers are using the app's 'reorder items' button to see how much grocery prices increased over the years.³

How much do Americans spend on groceries per month?

Empower Personal Dashboard™ data from January to June 2024 reveals people spend an average of $605 on groceries per month. Gen X spends the most on groceries ($684), followed by Baby Boomers ($563), and Millennials ($594); Gen Z spends the least of all generations ($359).

Average grocery spend by state

Empower data shows Maine tops the list for the highest individual spend on groceries, with Americans purchasing $784 worth per month. Northeastern neighbors Connecticut ($712/month) and New Hampshire ($704/month) took the second and third spots, with Vermont ($680/month) and Massachusetts ($674/month) not far behind.

The Midwest has 9 states with lower grocery bills: Americans in Illinois, Kansas, Wisconsin, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota and North Dakota.

Highest monthly grocery spend, by state*

*Spending averages for individuals

Lowest monthly grocery spend, by state*

*Spending averages for individuals

The cost of putting food on the table

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, eggs are experiencing the highest price increase of all the food categories tracked by the CPI: A carton costs 10.2% more than it did in June 2023.

Baby food and formula has also risen steeply in the past 12 months, increasing 5.6% since June 2023. Other foods saw more moderate price increases year-over-year: Sugar and sweets rose by 2%, while snacks edged up by 0.7%.

There are some YOY declines offering some relief, too: Cheese prices are down 2.1%, fresh fruits decreased by 1.7%, and milk prices fell 1%.

12-month price change across a range of groceries

The bottom dollar

Food accounts for 11.2% of the average family’s household budget, so it’s no surprise that foodflation is causing many consumers to look for ways to save.⁴ Empower research shows more than half of Americans have started shopping for groceries at the dollar store to help combat rising prices.