Menstrual Pad Prices Fell 14% Across All 12 Cities
Menstrual pad prices averaged about $13.22 for a standardized 40-pad package on July 23 and $11.38 on July 30 across 12 tracked city areas, a decline of roughly 14% in one week.
The direction was unusually broad: every city area finished lower. July 30 pad prices also landed inside a tight $10.88 to $11.92 range.
Pads did most of the work in the broader Menstrual Care Product Inflation basket, supplying about $5.54 of its approximately $7.22 decline—roughly 77%.
The decline reached all 12 cities
Ridgewood/Glendale New York recorded the largest drop in the standardized pad price, from $14.00 to $10.88, or about 22.3%. North Jackson recorded the smallest, from $12.70 to $11.90, or about 6.3%.
The July 30 prices occupied a tighter range than the July 23 prices. Blossom Valley San Jose finished highest at $11.92, while Ridgewood/Glendale New York finished lowest at $10.88—a $1.04 gap.
| City area | July 23 | July 30 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York, NY - Ridgewood/Glendale | $14.00 | $10.88 | -22.3% |
| Seattle, WA - Rainier Valley | $13.83 | $11.26 | -18.6% |
| Philadelphia, PA - South Philadelphia | $12.97 | $11.02 | -15.0% |
| Clayton, MO | $13.51 | $11.50 | -14.9% |
| East St. Louis, IL | $12.92 | $11.02 | -14.7% |
| Houston, TX - Midtown | $12.92 | $11.04 | -14.6% |
| Los Angeles, CA - Mid-City | $13.44 | $11.57 | -13.9% |
| San Jose, CA - Blossom Valley | $13.83 | $11.92 | -13.8% |
| Jacksonville, FL - Westside | $12.95 | $11.23 | -13.3% |
| San Antonio, TX - West San Antonio | $12.72 | $11.32 | -11.0% |
| Chicago, IL - North Center/Avondale | $12.89 | $11.83 | -8.2% |
| Jackson, MS - North Jackson | $12.70 | $11.90 | -6.3% |
Pads supplied 77% of the basket move
The pad component moved from about $39.67 to $34.13 inside the fixed nine-product basket. The six other declining components subtracted another $2.54, while two increases added back $0.86. Together, the displayed component changes leave the basket down approximately $7.22.
Feminine wipes, period underwear, tampons, cups, heat patches, and discs contributed the smaller declines. Pantyliners and menstrual pain relief moved higher.
| Component | July 23 | July 30 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Menstrual pads | $39.67 | $34.13 | -$5.54 |
| Feminine wipes | $10.89 | $10.03 | -$0.86 |
| Period underwear | $7.84 | $7.34 | -$0.50 |
| Tampons | $26.40 | $25.98 | -$0.42 |
| Menstrual cups | $2.72 | $2.38 | -$0.34 |
| Menstrual heat patches | $15.26 | $14.98 | -$0.28 |
| Menstrual discs | $3.98 | $3.84 | -$0.14 |
| Pantyliners | $8.14 | $8.52 | +$0.38 |
| Menstrual pain relief | $12.38 | $12.86 | +$0.48 |
Two increases softened the decline
Pantyliners and menstrual pain relief kept the basket decline about $0.86 smaller than it would have been if the seven declining components had moved alone. A lower composite did not mean every menstrual-care product moved down, and pads carried far more weight than any other line during the week.
The July 30 pad average of about $11.38 is now the useful threshold. If the live Menstrual Pad Price History page keeps the 12-city range near $10.88 to $11.92, the decline will remain both broad and tight; a wider range would show that city paths are separating again.