Egg Prices Soaring Higher And Here’s Why
HOUSTON, TEXAS - AUGUST 15: Cartons of eggs are seen for sale in a Sprouts Farmers Market on August 15, 2022 in Houston, Texas. Egg prices steadily climb in the U.S. as inflation continues impacting grocery stores nationwide. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
I saw some Facebook friends posting pictures of egg prices today, and I did a double take. I’m not sure what part of the country the store picture came from. However, the price for 18 large eggs was more than $9.00. I usually just get a dozen, and its probably half that price. Honestly, unless I’m baking I don’t buy them every week. So, I don’t pay as close attention to the trending costs as I should. But, by any standard, that’s getting out of hand I think. And, it’s not supply chain issues this time. Egg prices soaring higher and higher is attributed to the avian flu. According to ABC11, egg suppliers say farmers in North Carolina and states nationwide had to destroy flocks of chickens due to avian flu. North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services pointed to the problem in Wake County in October 2022. The backyard flock tested positive to HPAI, becoming the state’s first positive in a backyard flock.
Authorities found the disease at nine farms in Johnston and Wayne counties last spring and summer. And, according to the CDC, the virus doesn’t present a high risk to people. However, it can be highly contagious among birds. The food supply is not affected. So, if you eat lots of eggs or do large amounts of baking, you might need to save up for those eggs if this continues to be a problem. The report says a similar price hike took place in Spring of 2022 also because of an avian flu issue. You can check prices of foods and consumer goods at the US Bureau of Labor Statistics site. But, for the time being, egg prices soaring higher is our reality.
Cities In North Carolina And South Carolina Rank Among Most Affordable In U.S.
We keep hearing about how high the cost of living is these days, and it certainly feels that way in Charlotte. While that’s true in many parts of the country, there are some places in the U.S. where it’s more affordable to live than others and the Wall Street Journal has found them for us.
The new Wall Street Journal-Realtor.com Emerging Housing Market Index ranks America’s most affordable places to live. They determined their findings based on housing-market indicators, economic and lifestyle data, real-estate taxes, unemployment rates, wages, commute time, and available small-business loans.
Topping the list is Johnson City, Tennessee, which has a strong economy, low taxes, and property prices that are undervalued, although they are rising. Overall, median home listing prices in the area are abut $48,000 below the national average at $379,000, with home values up 27% last year, almost twice the rate of national price growth. So, basically, it sounds like Johnson City won’t be a bargain for much longer.
On the other end of the spectrum, the New York City-Newark-Jersey City metro area lands at the very bottom of the list at 300. Not surprising. But a couple of cities in the Carolinas are still on the affordable side, including Columbia, SC and Raleigh, NC, although I’m a bit surprised about Raleigh.
The Most Affordable Places In The U.S. (WSJ-Realtor.com)
Debbie Nance is the afternoon co-host along with her husband on "The Charlie and Debbie Show" at WSOC, Country 1037 in Charlotte, North Carolina. She has been with the station for 18 years. Debbie is a CMA Award winner for Radio Personality of the Year. And, she has worked in radio for 40 years. Before her current afternoon position, Debbie spent more than a decade as co-host on morning shows in several markets across the Southeast. As a content creator for Country 1037, Debbie writes articles about food, new restaurants in the Carolinas and travel experiences.
