Updated September 2024 · BLS Average Price Data
Cost of Living in the Midwest: A Homemade Cheeseburger Costs $2.99
A homemade cheeseburger in the Midwest costs $2.99 as of September 2024, built from current BLS retail prices on ground beef, American cheese, white bread, iceberg lettuce, and a slice of tomato. That is 9.9% below the U.S. national average of $3.32, and +15.0% versus the same month last year.
Midwest Cheeseburger Snapshot
| Current Cost (September 2024) | $2.99 |
| vs U.S. National Average | -9.9% ($3.32) |
| Year-over-Year Change | +15.0% |
| Month-over-Month Change | +1.7% |
| 12-Month Average | $2.80 |
| Months of BLS Data | 24 |
How Midwest Stacks Up
At $2.99 per homemade burger, the Midwest runs 9.9% below the U.S. average of $3.32. The discount usually traces to lower grocery markups in less dense metros and proximity to agricultural supply.
Among the four U.S. Census regions tracked here, the Midwest ranks #2 of 4 for cost (1 = cheapest). The cheapest region right now is the Northeast at $0.00; the most expensive is the South at $3.16 — a spread of $3.16 per burger.
What's Driving the Midwest Burger Cost?
Ground Beef (80% lean) is the single biggest line item in the Midwest burger — $1.94, or 65% of the total cost. American Cheese is next at $0.37 (12%). The other three ingredients combined make up the rest. Beef and dairy prices are the dominant swing factors month-to-month; produce (lettuce, tomatoes) varies more by season.
Ingredient Cost Breakdown (September 2024)
| Ingredient | Per Burger | Cost | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef (80% lean) | 0.33 lbs | $1.94 | 65% |
| American Cheese | 0.063 lbs | $0.37 | 12% |
| White Bread | 0.125 lbs | $0.26 | 9% |
| Tomatoes | 0.125 lbs | $0.24 | 8% |
| Iceberg Lettuce | 0.063 lbs | $0.17 | 6% |
Is the Midwest Burger Getting Cheaper or More Expensive?
Cost in the Midwest has climbed sharply over the past year — up +15.0% since September 2023. That pace outruns broad food-at-home inflation as tracked by BLS, and points to localized pressure on at least one ingredient. Month-over-month into September 2024 the index moved +1.7%, suggesting the trend is still gathering pace.
Across 24 months of BLS price history, the Midwest burger has ranged from a low of $2.53 in March 2023 to a high of $2.99 in September 2024 — a peak-to-trough swing of $0.46, or 18% of the low. Today's reading of $2.99 sits in the upper half of that range.
Last 12 Months of Midwest Cost
| Month | Cost | MoM | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 2024 | $2.99 | +1.7% | +15.0% |
| August 2024 | $2.94 | +1.4% | +13.1% |
| July 2024 | $2.90 | -0.7% | +11.1% |
| June 2024 | $2.92 | +5.0% | +12.3% |
| May 2024 | $2.78 | +3.0% | +8.2% |
| April 2024 | $2.70 | -3.6% | +6.7% |
| March 2024 | $2.80 | +2.6% | +10.7% |
| February 2024 | $2.73 | +3.0% | +7.1% |
| January 2024 | $2.65 | -2.2% | +2.3% |
| December 2023 | $2.71 | -4.2% | 0.0% |
| November 2023 | $2.83 | +7.6% | +8.0% |
| October 2023 | $2.63 | +1.1% | +1.9% |
How This Cost Is Calculated
The Cheeseburger Index combines five U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics retail price series — ground beef (APU0000703112), American cheese (APU0000710212), white bread (APU0000702111), iceberg lettuce (APU0000FL2101), and tomatoes (APU0000712311) — into a single composite cost weighted by a real recipe: a 1/3 lb 80%-lean beef patty, one 1 oz cheese slice, a 2 oz white bun, 1 oz iceberg lettuce, and one 2 oz tomato slice. Regional prices are the BLS Census-region averages (codes 0100 NE, 0200 MW, 0300 South, 0400 West). Every input is public-domain government data, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI Average Price Data — public domain, updated monthly. Cite as: "Burgernomics, September 2024 reading. Data: BLS Average Price Data."
Last updated 2026-05-08 · 87 months of national data, 24 months for the Midwest.
The data source behind this answer is BLS Consumer Price Index and per-chain published menu prices. Every figure on the page traces back to that source; the methodology page describes the inputs and the refresh cadence in full detail.
For readers turning this answer into action: cross-reference against the underlying BLS Consumer Price Index and per-chain published menu prices record before acting on time-sensitive decisions. The site renders the data as it was published; subsequent revisions can shift the picture, and the live federal data is always the authoritative current reference.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI, 2026.