US Average Chicken Price Adjusted for Inflation

This page shows historical chicken prices adjusted for inflation, offering a clearer view of how the real purchasing power needed to buy chicken has evolved over time.

The prices represent fresh, whole boiler/fryer chickens sold by the pound (453.6 grams) in urban areas across the United States. This includes both organic and non-organic options, as well as chickens with various marketing claims.

Adjusted prices are shown in "today’s dollars", meaning they are benchmarked to the purchasing power of May 2026 (our latest available CPI data baseline).

Key Takeaways
  • The latest average price for a pound of chicken was $2.036, in May 2026.
  • In January 1980, the nominal price was $0.699, which is equivalent to $3.011 in today's dollars.
  • Since January 1980, the inflation-adjusted price has fallen 32.38%, an average decline of -0.84% per year.
  • The peak inflation-adjusted price was $3.156, reached in September 1980.

Chicken is one of the most widely consumed proteins in the United States. Its price is tracked as part of the broader effort to monitor food costs and their economic impact.

This historical data reveals how chicken prices have fluctuated over time due to factors such as feed costs, production efficiencies, disease outbreaks and changing consumer preferences. Despite these fluctuations, the inflation-adjusted price declined significantly from the 1980s to the early 1990s, and has remained relatively stable since then.

Inflation-Adjusted Values by Month

By examining the inflation-adjusted price over time, consumers and analysts can better understand the underlying purchasing power cost of chicken, separate from the general rise in the cost of living.

The following table provides a month-by-month breakdown.

Month Nominal Inflation-Adjusted
May 2026 2.036 2.036
Apr 2026 2.026 2.039
Mar 2026 2.033 2.063
Feb 2026 2.049 2.101
Jan 2026 2.041 2.103
Dec 2025 2.02 2.089
Nov 2025 2.044 2.113
Sep 2025 2.061 2.127
Aug 2025 2.076 2.147
Jul 2025 2.078 2.156
Jun 2025 2.086 2.167
May 2025 2.061 2.149
Apr 2025 2.059 2.151
Mar 2025 2.064 2.163
Feb 2025 2.051 2.154
Jan 2025 2.061 2.174
Dec 2024 2.061 2.188
Nov 2024 2.076 2.205
Oct 2024 1.987 2.109
Sep 2024 1.979 2.103
Aug 2024 1.988 2.116
Jul 2024 1.988 2.118
Jun 2024 2.007 2.141
May 2024 2.013 2.148
Apr 2024 1.953 2.087
Mar 2024 1.991 2.136
Feb 2024 1.951 2.107
Jan 2024 1.987 2.159
Dec 2023 1.955 2.136
Nov 2023 1.976 2.157
Oct 2023 1.926 2.098
Sep 2023 1.901 2.07
Aug 2023 1.958 2.137
Jul 2023 1.891 2.073
Jun 2023 1.953 2.145
May 2023 1.92 2.116
Apr 2023 1.873 2.069
Mar 2023 1.868 2.074
Feb 2023 1.894 2.11
Jan 2023 1.855 2.078
Dec 2022 1.83 2.066
Nov 2022 1.843 2.075
Oct 2022 1.863 2.095
Sep 2022 1.891 2.135
Aug 2022 1.879 2.126
Jul 2022 1.88 2.127
Jun 2022 1.826 2.065
May 2022 1.824 2.091
Apr 2022 1.794 2.08
Mar 2022 1.724 2.01
Feb 2022 1.632 1.928
Jan 2022 1.622 1.933
Dec 2021 1.606 1.93
Nov 2021 1.583 1.909
Oct 2021 1.523 1.845
Sep 2021 1.504 1.837
Aug 2021 1.472 1.803
Jul 2021 1.435 1.762
Jun 2021 1.474 1.818
May 2021 1.486 1.85
Apr 2021 1.515 1.901
Mar 2021 1.543 1.952
Feb 2021 1.583 2.017
Jan 2021 1.595 2.043
Dec 2020 1.621 2.086
Nov 2020 1.639 2.111
Oct 2020 1.58 2.033
Sep 2020 1.542 1.985
Aug 2020 1.609 2.075
Jul 2020 1.712 2.214
Jun 2020 1.747 2.271
Apr 2020 1.571 2.053
Mar 2020 1.4 1.818
Feb 2020 1.362 1.765
Jan 2020 1.409 1.83
Dec 2019 1.45 1.891
Nov 2019 1.43 1.863
Oct 2019 1.538 2.003
Sep 2019 1.487 1.941
Aug 2019 1.514 1.978
Jul 2019 1.562 2.04
Jun 2019 1.59 2.08
May 2019 1.479 1.935
Apr 2019 1.463 1.919
Mar 2019 1.468 1.935
Feb 2019 1.486 1.97
Jan 2019 1.473 1.961
Dec 2018 1.466 1.956
Nov 2018 1.501 1.996
Oct 2018 1.444 1.914
Sep 2018 1.487 1.974
Aug 2018 1.511 2.008
Jul 2018 1.519 2.02
Jun 2018 1.514 2.013
May 2018 1.523 2.029
Apr 2018 1.511 2.021
Mar 2018 1.502 2.017
Feb 2018 1.478 1.989
Jan 2018 1.509 2.04
Dec 2017 1.47 1.998
Nov 2017 1.451 1.971
Oct 2017 1.484 2.016
Sep 2017 1.48 2.009
Aug 2017 1.489 2.032
Jul 2017 1.496 2.048
Jun 2017 1.497 2.048
May 2017 1.499 2.053
Apr 2017 1.444 1.979
Mar 2017 1.462 2.01
Feb 2017 1.473 2.026
Jan 2017 1.418 1.957
Dec 2016 1.463 2.031
Nov 2016 1.478 2.052
Oct 2016 1.502 2.082
Sep 2016 1.487 2.064
Aug 2016 1.426 1.984
Jul 2016 1.445 2.012
Jun 2016 1.408 1.958
May 2016 1.489 2.077
Apr 2016 1.496 2.095
Mar 2016 1.463 2.059
Feb 2016 1.478 2.089
Jan 2016 1.429 2.021
Dec 2015 1.437 2.036
Nov 2015 1.484 2.095
Oct 2015 1.43 2.015
Sep 2015 1.415 1.993
Aug 2015 1.428 2.008
Jul 2015 1.487 2.088
Jun 2015 1.515 2.128
May 2015 1.483 2.09
Apr 2015 1.539 2.18
Mar 2015 1.545 2.193
Feb 2015 1.55 2.213
Jan 2015 1.546 2.217
Dec 2014 1.541 2.199
Nov 2014 1.533 2.175
Oct 2014 1.549 2.186
Sep 2014 1.543 2.172
Aug 2014 1.572 2.215
Jul 2014 1.495 2.103
Jun 2014 1.503 2.113
May 2014 1.556 2.192
Apr 2014 1.53 2.163
Mar 2014 1.544 2.19
Feb 2014 1.504 2.147
Jan 2014 1.529 2.191
Dec 2013 1.52 2.186
Nov 2013 1.518 2.183
Oct 2013 1.543 2.214
Sep 2013 1.528 2.187
Aug 2013 1.489 2.134
Jul 2013 1.484 2.129
Jun 2013 1.509 2.166
May 2013 1.466 2.109
Apr 2013 1.473 2.123
Mar 2013 1.471 2.118
Feb 2013 1.456 2.102
Jan 2013 1.497 2.179
Dec 2012 1.482 2.163
Nov 2012 1.512 2.201
Oct 2012 1.53 2.217
Sep 2012 1.455 2.107
Aug 2012 1.433 2.085
Jul 2012 1.454 2.127
Jun 2012 1.39 2.03
May 2012 1.347 1.964
Apr 2012 1.401 2.041
Mar 2012 1.372 2.004
Feb 2012 1.356 1.996
Jan 2012 1.334 1.972
Dec 2011 1.34 1.99
Nov 2011 1.304 1.932
Oct 2011 1.312 1.942
Sep 2011 1.294 1.911
Aug 2011 1.296 1.917
Jul 2011 1.306 1.937
Jun 2011 1.305 1.937
May 2011 1.302 1.931
Apr 2011 1.261 1.879
Mar 2011 1.269 1.903
Feb 2011 1.266 1.917
Jan 2011 1.241 1.888
Dec 2010 1.28 1.957
Nov 2010 1.277 1.956
Oct 2010 1.302 1.995
Sep 2010 1.276 1.958
Aug 2010 1.254 1.925
Jul 2010 1.28 1.968
Jun 2010 1.239 1.905
May 2010 1.259 1.934
Apr 2010 1.23 1.891
Mar 2010 1.231 1.896
Feb 2010 1.265 1.956
Jan 2010 1.265 1.956
Dec 2009 1.267 1.966
Nov 2009 1.256 1.946
Oct 2009 1.244 1.928
Sep 2009 1.258 1.952
Aug 2009 1.287 1.998
Jul 2009 1.261 1.962
Jun 2009 1.282 1.992
May 2009 1.304 2.043
Apr 2009 1.296 2.037
Mar 2009 1.301 2.05
Feb 2009 1.29 2.037
Jan 2009 1.292 2.051
Dec 2008 1.305 2.08
Nov 2008 1.304 2.057
Oct 2008 1.205 1.865
Sep 2008 1.214 1.86
Aug 2008 1.223 1.871
Jul 2008 1.191 1.815
Jun 2008 1.181 1.809
May 2008 1.194 1.847
Apr 2008 1.176 1.835
Mar 2008 1.168 1.833
Feb 2008 1.159 1.835
Jan 2008 1.163 1.846
Dec 2007 1.166 1.86
Nov 2007 1.161 1.851
Oct 2007 1.135 1.82
Sep 2007 1.142 1.836
Aug 2007 1.145 1.846
Jul 2007 1.13 1.818
Jun 2007 1.134 1.824
May 2007 1.118 1.802
Apr 2007 1.115 1.808
Mar 2007 1.064 1.736
Feb 2007 1.039 1.711
Jan 2007 1.033 1.71
Dec 2006 1.057 1.755
Nov 2006 1.049 1.745
Oct 2006 1.038 1.724
Sep 2006 1.063 1.756
Aug 2006 1.048 1.722
Jul 2006 1.04 1.713
Jun 2006 1.055 1.743
May 2006 1.034 1.711
Apr 2006 1.054 1.753
Mar 2006 1.047 1.756
Feb 2006 1.045 1.762
Jan 2006 1.062 1.795
Dec 2005 1.061 1.807
Nov 2005 1.059 1.796
Oct 2005 1.062 1.787
Sep 2005 1.056 1.78
Aug 2005 1.042 1.778
Jul 2005 1.067 1.83
Jun 2005 1.075 1.852
May 2005 1.052 1.814
Apr 2005 1.07 1.843
Mar 2005 1.061 1.839
Feb 2005 1.038 1.814
Jan 2005 1.026 1.803
Dec 2004 1.03 1.814
Nov 2004 1.039 1.823
Oct 2004 1.078 1.892
Sep 2004 1.078 1.902
Aug 2004 1.092 1.931
Jul 2004 1.077 1.906
Jun 2004 1.06 1.873
May 2004 1.039 1.841
Apr 2004 1.12 1.996
Mar 2004 1.1 1.967
Feb 2004 1.06 1.908
Jan 2004 1.062 1.922
Dec 2003 1.05 1.909
Nov 2003 1.068 1.94
Oct 2003 1.022 1.851
Sep 2003 1.022 1.849
Aug 2003 1.023 1.857
Jul 2003 1.027 1.872
Jun 2003 1.033 1.884
May 2003 1.031 1.883
Apr 2003 1.053 1.92
Mar 2003 1.049 1.908
Feb 2003 1.031 1.887
Jan 2003 1.004 1.852
Dec 2002 1.048 1.941
Nov 2002 1.044 1.93
Oct 2002 1.027 1.898
Sep 2002 1.074 1.989
Aug 2002 1.035 1.919
Jul 2002 1.077 2.004
Jun 2002 1.066 1.986
May 2002 1.094 2.039
Apr 2002 1.11 2.069
Mar 2002 1.11 2.08
Feb 2002 1.111 2.094
Jan 2002 1.091 2.064
Dec 2001 1.109 2.103
Nov 2001 1.133 2.14
Oct 2001 1.115 2.103
Sep 2001 1.107 2.081
Aug 2001 1.11 2.096
Jul 2001 1.102 2.081
Jun 2001 1.106 2.082
May 2001 1.095 2.065
Apr 2001 1.101 2.086
Mar 2001 1.103 2.098
Feb 2001 1.09 2.078
Jan 2001 1.091 2.088
Dec 2000 1.078 2.076
Nov 2000 1.065 2.05
Oct 2000 1.09 2.099
Sep 2000 1.087 2.097
Aug 2000 1.086 2.106
Jul 2000 1.089 2.112
Jun 2000 1.069 2.078
May 2000 1.052 2.056
Apr 2000 1.069 2.091
Mar 2000 1.064 2.083
Feb 2000 1.046 2.064
Jan 2000 1.059 2.102
Dec 1999 1.053 2.097
Nov 1999 1.078 2.147
Oct 1999 1.055 2.102
Sep 1999 1.08 2.156
Aug 1999 1.043 2.092
Jul 1999 1.045 2.101
Jun 1999 1.041 2.099
May 1999 1.026 2.069
Apr 1999 1.057 2.131
Mar 1999 1.057 2.147
Feb 1999 1.064 2.168
Jan 1999 1.072 2.187
Dec 1998 1.06 2.167
Nov 1998 1.084 2.215
Oct 1998 1.076 2.199
Sep 1998 1.074 2.2
Aug 1998 1.059 2.172
Jul 1998 1.033 2.121
Jun 1998 1.016 2.089
May 1998 1.032 2.124
Apr 1998 1.029 2.122
Mar 1998 1.032 2.132
Feb 1998 1.007 2.084
Jan 1998 1.022 2.119
Dec 1997 1.001 2.08
Nov 1997 1.018 2.112
Oct 1997 0.984 2.041
Sep 1997 0.992 2.062
Aug 1997 0.988 2.059
Jul 1997 1.005 2.098
Jun 1997 0.993 2.076
May 1997 1.007 2.108
Apr 1997 1.002 2.096
Mar 1997 1.009 2.113
Feb 1997 1.008 2.117
Jan 1997 1.016 2.14
Dec 1996 1.002 2.117
Nov 1996 1.003 2.119
Oct 1996 1.021 2.161
Sep 1996 1.006 2.136
Aug 1996 0.99 2.109
Jul 1996 0.972 2.075
Jun 1996 0.968 2.07
May 1996 0.949 2.031
Apr 1996 0.947 2.03
Mar 1996 0.933 2.008
Feb 1996 0.94 2.034
Jan 1996 0.941 2.042
Dec 1995 0.939 2.05
Nov 1995 0.948 2.068
Oct 1995 0.93 2.028
Sep 1995 0.939 2.054
Aug 1995 0.908 1.99
Jul 1995 0.919 2.02
Jun 1995 0.908 1.995
May 1995 0.891 1.962
Apr 1995 0.911 2.01
Mar 1995 0.917 2.03
Feb 1995 0.893 1.983
Jan 1995 0.897 2
Dec 1994 0.895 2.004
Nov 1994 0.904 2.024
Oct 1994 0.889 1.993
Sep 1994 0.901 2.021
Aug 1994 0.905 2.035
Jul 1994 0.92 2.078
Jun 1994 0.918 2.079
May 1994 0.902 2.049
Apr 1994 0.899 2.044
Mar 1994 0.891 2.028
Feb 1994 0.888 2.029
Jan 1994 0.899 2.061
Dec 1993 0.91 2.092
Nov 1993 0.918 2.11
Oct 1993 0.893 2.054
Sep 1993 0.897 2.072
Aug 1993 0.896 2.074
Jul 1993 0.89 2.066
Jun 1993 0.891 2.068
May 1993 0.888 2.064
Apr 1993 0.874 2.034
Mar 1993 0.879 2.051
Feb 1993 0.871 2.04
Jan 1993 0.875 2.056
Dec 1992 0.879 2.076
Nov 1992 0.885 2.089
Oct 1992 0.865 2.044
Sep 1992 0.881 2.089
Aug 1992 0.882 2.098
Jul 1992 0.878 2.094
Jun 1992 0.861 2.058
May 1992 0.854 2.049
Apr 1992 0.861 2.068
Mar 1992 0.859 2.067
Feb 1992 0.849 2.053
Jan 1992 0.878 2.131
Dec 1991 0.864 2.1
Nov 1991 0.857 2.084
Oct 1991 0.878 2.141
Sep 1991 0.874 2.135
Aug 1991 0.869 2.132
Jul 1991 0.888 2.185
Jun 1991 0.878 2.164
May 1991 0.883 2.182
Apr 1991 0.885 2.194
Mar 1991 0.899 2.232
Feb 1991 0.903 2.245
Jan 1991 0.886 2.206
Dec 1990 0.858 2.149
Nov 1990 0.88 2.204
Oct 1990 0.883 2.217
Sep 1990 0.907 2.291
Aug 1990 0.912 2.322
Jul 1990 0.917 2.357
Jun 1990 0.928 2.394
May 1990 0.902 2.34
Apr 1990 0.897 2.332
Mar 1990 0.928 2.416
Feb 1990 0.896 2.346
Jan 1990 0.882 2.32
Dec 1989 0.883 2.347
Nov 1989 0.879 2.34
Oct 1989 0.91 2.428
Sep 1989 0.942 2.525
Aug 1989 0.954 2.566
Jul 1989 0.964 2.597
Jun 1989 0.982 2.652
May 1989 0.961 2.601
Apr 1989 0.932 2.537
Mar 1989 0.913 2.502
Feb 1989 0.899 2.478
Jan 1989 0.905 2.504
Dec 1988 0.885 2.461
Nov 1988 0.892 2.485
Oct 1988 0.932 2.598
Sep 1988 0.975 2.727
Aug 1988 0.961 2.706
Jul 1988 0.937 2.65
Jun 1988 0.868 2.465
May 1988 0.796 2.27
Apr 1988 0.76 2.175
Mar 1988 0.753 2.166
Feb 1988 0.745 2.152
Jan 1988 0.74 2.143
Dec 1987 0.736 2.137
Nov 1987 0.756 2.195
Oct 1987 0.791 2.299
Sep 1987 0.793 2.311
Aug 1987 0.785 2.3
Jul 1987 0.755 2.223
Jun 1987 0.771 2.276
May 1987 0.782 2.317
Apr 1987 0.792 2.355
Mar 1987 0.804 2.404
Feb 1987 0.832 2.498
Jan 1987 0.821 2.474
Dec 1986 0.865 2.623
Nov 1986 0.878 2.665
Oct 1986 0.9 2.734
Sep 1986 0.91 2.767
Aug 1986 0.958 2.927
Jul 1986 0.889 2.721
Jun 1986 0.795 2.433
May 1986 0.769 2.366
Apr 1986 0.752 2.321
Mar 1986 0.767 2.362
Feb 1986 0.771 2.364
Jan 1986 0.766 2.342
Dec 1985 0.776 2.379
Nov 1985 0.778 2.392
Oct 1985 0.749 2.309
Sep 1985 0.762 2.358
Aug 1985 0.757 2.349
Jul 1985 0.753 2.341
Jun 1985 0.761 2.37
May 1985 0.745 2.327
Apr 1985 0.764 2.395
Mar 1985 0.769 2.422
Feb 1985 0.772 2.441
Jan 1985 0.773 2.455
Dec 1984 0.753 2.396
Nov 1984 0.771 2.454
Oct 1984 0.764 2.431
Sep 1984 0.79 2.521
Aug 1984 0.788 2.527
Jul 1984 0.829 2.669
Jun 1984 0.817 2.64
May 1984 0.811 2.628
Apr 1984 0.844 2.743
Mar 1984 0.848 2.77
Feb 1984 0.867 2.837
Jan 1984 0.839 2.759
Dec 1983 0.812 2.686
Nov 1983 0.766 2.537
Oct 1983 0.737 2.445
Sep 1983 0.769 2.559
Aug 1983 0.74 2.475
Jul 1983 0.724 2.429
Jun 1983 0.699 2.354
May 1983 0.687 2.321
Apr 1983 0.676 2.298
Mar 1983 0.698 2.389
Feb 1983 0.699 2.393
Jan 1983 0.689 2.361
Dec 1982 0.682 2.342
Nov 1982 0.694 2.373
Oct 1982 0.7 2.389
Sep 1982 0.713 2.441
Aug 1982 0.717 2.459
Jul 1982 0.74 2.543
Jun 1982 0.732 2.529
May 1982 0.72 2.519
Apr 1982 0.712 2.514
Mar 1982 0.715 2.536
Feb 1982 0.726 2.572
Jan 1982 0.712 2.53
Dec 1981 0.7 2.496
Nov 1981 0.702 2.511
Oct 1981 0.712 2.555
Sep 1981 0.728 2.618
Aug 1981 0.752 2.73
Jul 1981 0.767 2.806
Jun 1981 0.717 2.652
May 1981 0.706 2.635
Apr 1981 0.734 2.761
Mar 1981 0.755 2.859
Feb 1981 0.759 2.894
Jan 1981 0.749 2.885
Dec 1980 0.76 2.951
Nov 1980 0.766 3.002
Oct 1980 0.792 3.13
Sep 1980 0.791 3.156
Aug 1980 0.751 3.021
Jul 1980 0.71 2.877
Jun 1980 0.64 2.593
May 1980 0.628 2.573
Apr 1980 0.638 2.64
Mar 1980 0.655 2.74
Feb 1980 0.673 2.859
Jan 1980 0.699 3.011

About the Data

The US Average Chicken Price represents the average cost of a pound of fresh, whole chicken in urban areas across the United States, collected and published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

We have adjusted these prices for inflation based on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U). While a specific CPI for "Food" exists, using the broader CPI-U allows us to compare chicken prices against the overall cost of goods and services typically purchased by households, revealing whether chicken has become relatively more or less expensive compared to general inflation over time.

This data allows consumers and policymakers to understand trends in protein costs and their impact on household budgets. By adjusting for inflation, this page provides insights into the real cost of chicken over time, helping users make informed decisions and analyses.

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Other Inflation-Adjusted Data