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Cast Iron Pipe Price Trends: Estimator PPI Guide

By QuickBidSetup Editorial Team · Published October 31, 2026 · Sources linked below

Cast Iron Pipe Price Trends: Estimator PPI Guide

Estimating plumbing rough-in packages and site utility infrastructure requires tracking material expenses across long lead times. For general contractors and mechanical trade estimators evaluating cast iron soil pipe and ductile pressure lines, benchmark data from the federal government provides a direct look at factory gate price behavior. Examining these numbers against historical markers helps bidders separate short-term flat pricing from larger multi-year cost increases.

Recent Trajectory vs. Prior Year Benchmarks

According to figures published in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics PPI series WPU101502, cast iron pressure and soil pipe and fittings registered an index level of 650.9 in September 2026. Month-over-month movement between August 2026 and September 2026 showed a change of +0.0%, indicating immediate short-term price stability at the end of the third quarter.

A broader comparison over the preceding twelve months shows a steady upward climb rather than a flat line. In September 2025, the index stood at 619.5. The change from September 2025 to September 2026 represents a +5.1% increase. A closer look at the monthly progression across that period reveals how the climb unfolded:

After rising sharply between December 2025 (634.8) and January 2026 (648.7), price adjustments leveled off through spring and summer, holding near 650.7 before reaching 650.9 in September 2026.

Long-Term Comparison: Pre-Pandemic to Record Highs

When comparing current price points to multi-year historical markers, the extent of the market shift becomes clear. Two years earlier, in September 2024, the index stood at 598.4, which puts the shift to the September 2026 level at +8.8%. Five years earlier, in September 2021, the index was 488.5, showing a +33.2% increase to the latest number.

Looking back before the pandemic disruptions of early 2020 highlights an even wider variance. In January 2020, the index recorded a value of 401.7. The climb from January 2020 to September 2026 represents a +62.0% change. Across the entire data window spanning January 2017 to September 2026, the lowest recorded monthly value was 378.1 in January 2017. In contrast, the highest value across the entire period was 650.9, reached in September 2026.

Cast Iron Pipe PPI Data Comparison

The table below compares the latest index levels against key historical intervals using data from the BLS cast iron pipe and fittings series. The base reference for the commodity index is 1982 = 100.

BLS Series WPU101502: Metals and metal products-Pressure and soil pipe and fittings, cast iron
Time Period Index Value Change to September 2026
Latest Month (September 2026) 650.9 +0.0% (At Record High)
One Year Earlier (September 2025) 619.5 +5.1%
Two Years Earlier (September 2024) 598.4 +8.8%
Five Years Earlier (September 2021) 488.5 +33.2%
Pre-Pandemic Baseline (January 2020) 401.7 +62.0%
Window Low (January 2017) 378.1 N/A

Annual Average Price Movement Across Ten Years

Examining annual averages reveals the progression of baseline pricing across the industry over the past decade:

Annual averages climbed modestly between 2017 (384.4) and 2020 (410.8) before jumping significantly in 2021 (466.4) and 2022 (562.7). That upward trajectory continued steadily into 2025 at 620.2 and reached an average of 649.7 across the first nine months of 2026.

Bidding Utility and Plumbing Scopes Under Shifting Price Levels

Because pipe and fitting prices currently sit at the highest mark in the historical window, estimators cannot rely on historical pricing from past jobs without verifying supplier quotes. Several practical factors should be accounted for during bid assembly:

Sources

Data referenced in this guide originates from the following government source:

Published October 31, 2026. No affiliate links on this page. Facts come from the sources linked above; check them for updates.