Hay Price History: US Hay Prices per Ton by Year
Hay price history from the USDA: the average price US farmers received per ton of baled hay every year since 1866, monthly prices for the last decade, record highs and decade averages. For this week’s prices by state and quality, see hay prices this week.
Data through: July 2026
Hay Price History Chart (1866/67–2025/26)
Monthly hay prices, last 10 years
Monthly hay prices by year ($/ton)
| Year | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 151 | 154 | 160 | 174 | 178 | 181 | 184 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2025 | 154 | 154 | 158 | 165 | 176 | 168 | 162 | 161 | 162 | 162 | 154 | 152 | 161 |
| 2024 | 191 | 191 | 185 | 183 | 190 | 182 | 172 | 166 | 163 | 164 | 159 | 157 | 175 |
| 2023 | 228 | 229 | 231 | 251 | 249 | 239 | 223 | 213 | 207 | 205 | 198 | 195 | 222 |
| 2022 | 188 | 195 | 198 | 219 | 235 | 232 | 240 | 248 | 248 | 248 | 238 | 235 | 227 |
| 2021 | 152 | 158 | 163 | 167 | 189 | 187 | 186 | 193 | 193 | 196 | 192 | 193 | 181 |
| 2020 | 155 | 157 | 156 | 161 | 159 | 156 | 156 | 157 | 151 | 155 | 153 | 152 | 156 |
| 2019 | 167 | 170 | 173 | 184 | 185 | 176 | 165 | 162 | 160 | 161 | 159 | 158 | 168 |
| 2018 | 140 | 142 | 148 | 162 | 168 | 163 | 161 | 163 | 164 | 163 | 162 | 166 | 158 |
| 2017 | 122 | 124 | 131 | 143 | 145 | 143 | 141 | 137 | 137 | 142 | 138 | 137 | 137 |
| 2016 | 134 | 135 | 136 | 144 | 136 | 132 | 128 | 130 | 128 | 129 | 126 | 123 | 132 |
| 2015 | 149 | 153 | 157 | 167 | 168 | 158 | 152 | 143 | 142 | 143 | 138 | 139 | 151 |
Hay prices by decade
| Decade | Average ($/ton) | Lowest year | Highest year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | $187 | $156 | $239 |
| 2010s | $158 | $114 | $191 |
| 2000s | $105 | $85 | $152 |
| 1990s | $84 | $71 | $100 |
| 1980s | $72 | $60 | $85 |
| 1970s | $45 | $26 | $60 |
| 1960s | $23 | $21 | $25 |
| 1950s | $22 | $19 | $27 |
| 1940s | $19 | $10 | $24 |
| 1930s | $9 | $6 | $12 |
| 1920s | $12 | $10 | $16 |
| 1910s | $14 | $10 | $21 |
| 1900s | $10 | $8 | $12 |
| 1890s | $8 | $7 | $10 |
| 1880s | $10 | $8 | $12 |
| 1870s | $12 | $7 | $17 |
| 1860s | $14 | $13 | $14 |
Full table: hay price every marketing-year year, 1866/67–2025/26 (160 years)
| Marketing-year | Price ($/ton) |
|---|---|
| 2025/26 | $161 |
| 2024/25 | $166 |
| 2023/24 | $208 |
| 2022/23 | $239 |
| 2021/22 | $193 |
| 2020/21 | $156 |
| 2019/20 | $163 |
| 2018/19 | $166 |
| 2017/18 | $142 |
| 2016/17 | $129 |
| 2015/16 | $145 |
| 2014/15 | $172 |
| 2013/14 | $176 |
| 2012/13 | $191 |
| 2011/12 | $178 |
| 2010/11 | $114 |
| 2009/10 | $108 |
| 2008/09 | $152 |
| 2007/08 | $127 |
| 2006/07 | $110 |
| 2005/06 | $98 |
| 2004/05 | $92 |
| 2003/04 | $86 |
| 2002/03 | $92 |
| 2001/02 | $96 |
| 2000/01 | $85 |
| 1999/00 | $77 |
| 1998/99 | $85 |
| 1997/98 | $100 |
| 1996/97 | $96 |
| 1995/96 | $82 |
| 1994/95 | $87 |
| 1993/94 | $85 |
| 1992/93 | $74 |
| 1991/92 | $71 |
| 1990/91 | $81 |
| 1989/90 | $85 |
| 1988/89 | $85 |
| 1987/88 | $65 |
| 1986/87 | $60 |
| 1985/86 | $68 |
| 1984/85 | $74 |
| 1983/84 | $76 |
| 1982/83 | $69 |
| 1981/82 | $67 |
| 1980/81 | $71 |
| 1979/80 | $59 |
| 1978/79 | $50 |
| 1977/78 | $54 |
| 1976/77 | $60 |
| 1975/76 | $52 |
| 1974/75 | $51 |
| 1973/74 | $42 |
| 1972/73 | $31 |
| 1971/72 | $28 |
| 1970/71 | $26 |
| 1969/70 | $25 |
| 1968/69 | $24 |
| 1967/68 | $24 |
| 1966/67 | $25 |
| 1965/66 | $23 |
| 1964/65 | $24 |
| 1963/64 | $25 |
| 1962/63 | $22 |
| 1961/62 | $21 |
| 1960/61 | $22 |
| 1959/60 | $22 |
| 1958/59 | $19 |
| 1957/58 | $19 |
| 1956/57 | $22 |
| 1955/56 | $22 |
| 1954/55 | $22 |
| 1953/54 | $22 |
| 1952/53 | $27 |
| 1951/52 | $26 |
| 1950/51 | $21 |
| 1949/50 | $21 |
| 1948/49 | $24 |
| 1947/48 | $23 |
| 1946/47 | $23 |
| 1945/46 | $20 |
| 1944/45 | $21 |
| 1943/44 | $20 |
| 1942/43 | $15 |
| 1941/42 | $12 |
| 1940/41 | $10 |
| 1939/40 | $10 |
| 1938/39 | $7 |
| 1937/38 | $9 |
| 1936/37 | $10 |
| 1935/36 | $8 |
| 1934/35 | $12 |
| 1933/34 | $8 |
| 1932/33 | $6 |
| 1931/32 | $9 |
| 1930/31 | $11 |
| 1929/30 | $11 |
| 1928/29 | $11 |
| 1927/28 | $10 |
| 1926/27 | $13 |
| 1925/26 | $13 |
| 1924/25 | $13 |
| 1923/24 | $13 |
| 1922/23 | $12 |
| 1921/22 | $11 |
| 1920/21 | $16 |
| 1919/20 | $21 |
| 1918/19 | $20 |
| 1917/18 | $17 |
| 1916/17 | $11 |
| 1915/16 | $10 |
| 1914/15 | $10 |
| 1913/14 | $11 |
| 1912/13 | $11 |
| 1911/12 | $13 |
| 1910/11 | $11 |
| 1909/10 | $10 |
| 1908/09 | $9 |
| 1907/08 | $12 |
| 1906/07 | $10 |
| 1905/06 | $8 |
| 1904/05 | $9 |
| 1903/04 | $9 |
| 1902/03 | $9 |
| 1901/02 | $10 |
| 1900/01 | $10 |
| 1899/00 | $8 |
| 1898/99 | $7 |
| 1897/98 | $7 |
| 1896/97 | $8 |
| 1895/96 | $10 |
| 1894/95 | $9 |
| 1893/94 | $9 |
| 1892/93 | $9 |
| 1891/92 | $9 |
| 1890/91 | $8 |
| 1889/90 | $8 |
| 1888/89 | $9 |
| 1887/88 | $10 |
| 1886/87 | $9 |
| 1885/86 | $10 |
| 1884/85 | $9 |
| 1883/84 | $9 |
| 1882/83 | $10 |
| 1881/82 | $12 |
| 1880/81 | $12 |
| 1879/80 | $10 |
| 1878/79 | $7 |
| 1877/78 | $9 |
| 1876/77 | $10 |
| 1875/76 | $13 |
| 1874/75 | $14 |
| 1873/74 | $14 |
| 1872/73 | $15 |
| 1871/72 | $17 |
| 1870/71 | $14 |
| 1869/70 | $13 |
| 1868/69 | $14 |
| 1867/68 | $14 |
| 1866/67 | $14 |
Hay marketing year runs May to April. Prices are USDA averages received by farmers for all baled hay (alfalfa and other hay combined).
Source: Feed Grains Database, Table 11 (USDA Economic Research Service, based on USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service and Agricultural Marketing Service data). The most recent year may be preliminary or a USDA forecast. Prices are nominal (not adjusted for inflation). Checked for updates every weekday; USDA updates these tables monthly.
What Drives Hay Prices Over Time
- Drought years (such as 2012 and 2022) cut hay yields and push prices to new highs.
- Dairy demand for high-quality alfalfa supports the average price.
- Fuel and fertilizer costs raise the cost of growing, baling and hauling hay.
- Season: prices are usually lowest just after the first cutting in late spring and highest in late winter.
Budgeting winter feed for goats or cattle? See our guides to what goats eat and feeder cattle prices.
FAQ
What is the average price of hay per ton?
See the 10-year average card above for the US average price received by farmers per ton of all baled hay. Prices vary widely by state, type and quality.
Why is alfalfa more expensive than other hay?
Alfalfa has more protein and is in high demand from dairies. The all-hay average on this page mixes alfalfa and other hay.
Where does this data come from?
USDA Economic Research Service Feed Grains Database, Table 11, based on NASS Agricultural Prices.
How often is this page updated?
We check USDA’s tables every weekday and update when new data is published.