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 September 2025 (our latest available CPI data baseline).

Key Takeaways
  • The latest average price for a pound of chicken was $2.061, in September 2025.
  • In January 1980, the nominal price was $0.699, which is equivalent to $2.918 in today's dollars.
  • Since January 1980, the inflation-adjusted price has fallen 29.37%, an average decline of -0.76% per year.
  • The peak inflation-adjusted price was $3.059, 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
Sep 2025 2.061 2.061
Aug 2025 2.076 2.081
Jul 2025 2.078 2.089
Jun 2025 2.086 2.1
May 2025 2.061 2.082
Apr 2025 2.059 2.085
Mar 2025 2.064 2.096
Feb 2025 2.051 2.088
Jan 2025 2.061 2.107
Dec 2024 2.061 2.121
Nov 2024 2.076 2.137
Oct 2024 1.987 2.045
Sep 2024 1.979 2.039
Aug 2024 1.988 2.051
Jul 2024 1.988 2.053
Jun 2024 2.007 2.075
May 2024 2.013 2.082
Apr 2024 1.953 2.023
Mar 2024 1.991 2.07
Feb 2024 1.951 2.042
Jan 2024 1.987 2.093
Dec 2023 1.955 2.07
Nov 2023 1.976 2.09
Oct 2023 1.926 2.033
Sep 2023 1.901 2.006
Aug 2023 1.958 2.071
Jul 2023 1.891 2.009
Jun 2023 1.953 2.079
May 2023 1.92 2.051
Apr 2023 1.873 2.005
Mar 2023 1.868 2.01
Feb 2023 1.894 2.045
Jan 2023 1.855 2.014
Dec 2022 1.83 2.003
Nov 2022 1.843 2.011
Oct 2022 1.863 2.03
Sep 2022 1.891 2.069
Aug 2022 1.879 2.061
Jul 2022 1.88 2.061
Jun 2022 1.826 2.002
May 2022 1.824 2.027
Apr 2022 1.794 2.015
Mar 2022 1.724 1.948
Feb 2022 1.632 1.868
Jan 2022 1.622 1.874
Dec 2021 1.606 1.871
Nov 2021 1.583 1.85
Oct 2021 1.523 1.788
Sep 2021 1.504 1.781
Aug 2021 1.472 1.748
Jul 2021 1.435 1.707
Jun 2021 1.474 1.762
May 2021 1.486 1.793
Apr 2021 1.515 1.843
Mar 2021 1.543 1.892
Feb 2021 1.583 1.955
Jan 2021 1.595 1.98
Dec 2020 1.621 2.021
Nov 2020 1.639 2.046
Oct 2020 1.58 1.971
Sep 2020 1.542 1.924
Aug 2020 1.609 2.011
Jul 2020 1.712 2.146
Jun 2020 1.747 2.201
Apr 2020 1.571 1.99
Mar 2020 1.4 1.762
Feb 2020 1.362 1.71
Jan 2020 1.409 1.774
Dec 2019 1.45 1.833
Nov 2019 1.43 1.806
Oct 2019 1.538 1.941
Sep 2019 1.487 1.881
Aug 2019 1.514 1.917
Jul 2019 1.562 1.977
Jun 2019 1.59 2.016
May 2019 1.479 1.876
Apr 2019 1.463 1.859
Mar 2019 1.468 1.876
Feb 2019 1.486 1.909
Jan 2019 1.473 1.901
Dec 2018 1.466 1.895
Nov 2018 1.501 1.934
Oct 2018 1.444 1.855
Sep 2018 1.487 1.913
Aug 2018 1.511 1.946
Jul 2018 1.519 1.958
Jun 2018 1.514 1.951
May 2018 1.523 1.966
Apr 2018 1.511 1.959
Mar 2018 1.502 1.955
Feb 2018 1.478 1.928
Jan 2018 1.509 1.977
Dec 2017 1.47 1.937
Nov 2017 1.451 1.911
Oct 2017 1.484 1.954
Sep 2017 1.48 1.948
Aug 2017 1.489 1.97
Jul 2017 1.496 1.985
Jun 2017 1.497 1.985
May 2017 1.499 1.989
Apr 2017 1.444 1.918
Mar 2017 1.462 1.948
Feb 2017 1.473 1.964
Jan 2017 1.418 1.897
Dec 2016 1.463 1.968
Nov 2016 1.478 1.989
Oct 2016 1.502 2.018
Sep 2016 1.487 2.001
Aug 2016 1.426 1.923
Jul 2016 1.445 1.95
Jun 2016 1.408 1.897
May 2016 1.489 2.013
Apr 2016 1.496 2.031
Mar 2016 1.463 1.995
Feb 2016 1.478 2.025
Jan 2016 1.429 1.959
Dec 2015 1.437 1.973
Nov 2015 1.484 2.031
Oct 2015 1.43 1.953
Sep 2015 1.415 1.932
Aug 2015 1.428 1.946
Jul 2015 1.487 2.024
Jun 2015 1.515 2.062
May 2015 1.483 2.026
Apr 2015 1.539 2.113
Mar 2015 1.545 2.125
Feb 2015 1.55 2.145
Jan 2015 1.546 2.149
Dec 2014 1.541 2.132
Nov 2014 1.533 2.108
Oct 2014 1.549 2.119
Sep 2014 1.543 2.105
Aug 2014 1.572 2.147
Jul 2014 1.495 2.038
Jun 2014 1.503 2.048
May 2014 1.556 2.124
Apr 2014 1.53 2.096
Mar 2014 1.544 2.122
Feb 2014 1.504 2.081
Jan 2014 1.529 2.123
Dec 2013 1.52 2.118
Nov 2013 1.518 2.115
Oct 2013 1.543 2.146
Sep 2013 1.528 2.12
Aug 2013 1.489 2.068
Jul 2013 1.484 2.063
Jun 2013 1.509 2.099
May 2013 1.466 2.044
Apr 2013 1.473 2.057
Mar 2013 1.471 2.053
Feb 2013 1.456 2.037
Jan 2013 1.497 2.111
Dec 2012 1.482 2.096
Nov 2012 1.512 2.133
Oct 2012 1.53 2.148
Sep 2012 1.455 2.042
Aug 2012 1.433 2.02
Jul 2012 1.454 2.061
Jun 2012 1.39 1.967
May 2012 1.347 1.904
Apr 2012 1.401 1.978
Mar 2012 1.372 1.943
Feb 2012 1.356 1.935
Jan 2012 1.334 1.912
Dec 2011 1.34 1.929
Nov 2011 1.304 1.872
Oct 2011 1.312 1.882
Sep 2011 1.294 1.852
Aug 2011 1.296 1.858
Jul 2011 1.306 1.878
Jun 2011 1.305 1.878
May 2011 1.302 1.871
Apr 2011 1.261 1.821
Mar 2011 1.269 1.844
Feb 2011 1.266 1.858
Jan 2011 1.241 1.83
Dec 2010 1.28 1.897
Nov 2010 1.277 1.896
Oct 2010 1.302 1.934
Sep 2010 1.276 1.897
Aug 2010 1.254 1.866
Jul 2010 1.28 1.907
Jun 2010 1.239 1.846
May 2010 1.259 1.874
Apr 2010 1.23 1.833
Mar 2010 1.231 1.837
Feb 2010 1.265 1.896
Jan 2010 1.265 1.896
Dec 2009 1.267 1.906
Nov 2009 1.256 1.886
Oct 2009 1.244 1.869
Sep 2009 1.258 1.892
Aug 2009 1.287 1.937
Jul 2009 1.261 1.902
Jun 2009 1.282 1.93
May 2009 1.304 1.98
Apr 2009 1.296 1.974
Mar 2009 1.301 1.987
Feb 2009 1.29 1.975
Jan 2009 1.292 1.987
Dec 2008 1.305 2.016
Nov 2008 1.304 1.994
Oct 2008 1.205 1.807
Sep 2008 1.214 1.802
Aug 2008 1.223 1.813
Jul 2008 1.191 1.759
Jun 2008 1.181 1.753
May 2008 1.194 1.79
Apr 2008 1.176 1.778
Mar 2008 1.168 1.777
Feb 2008 1.159 1.778
Jan 2008 1.163 1.79
Dec 2007 1.166 1.803
Nov 2007 1.161 1.794
Oct 2007 1.135 1.764
Sep 2007 1.142 1.779
Aug 2007 1.145 1.789
Jul 2007 1.13 1.762
Jun 2007 1.134 1.768
May 2007 1.118 1.746
Apr 2007 1.115 1.752
Mar 2007 1.064 1.683
Feb 2007 1.039 1.658
Jan 2007 1.033 1.658
Dec 2006 1.057 1.701
Nov 2006 1.049 1.691
Oct 2006 1.038 1.671
Sep 2006 1.063 1.702
Aug 2006 1.048 1.669
Jul 2006 1.04 1.66
Jun 2006 1.055 1.689
May 2006 1.034 1.658
Apr 2006 1.054 1.699
Mar 2006 1.047 1.702
Feb 2006 1.045 1.708
Jan 2006 1.062 1.739
Dec 2005 1.061 1.751
Nov 2005 1.059 1.741
Oct 2005 1.062 1.732
Sep 2005 1.056 1.725
Aug 2005 1.042 1.723
Jul 2005 1.067 1.774
Jun 2005 1.075 1.795
May 2005 1.052 1.758
Apr 2005 1.07 1.786
Mar 2005 1.061 1.783
Feb 2005 1.038 1.758
Jan 2005 1.026 1.747
Dec 2004 1.03 1.758
Nov 2004 1.039 1.767
Oct 2004 1.078 1.834
Sep 2004 1.078 1.844
Aug 2004 1.092 1.872
Jul 2004 1.077 1.847
Jun 2004 1.06 1.815
May 2004 1.039 1.785
Apr 2004 1.12 1.935
Mar 2004 1.1 1.907
Feb 2004 1.06 1.849
Jan 2004 1.062 1.863
Dec 2003 1.05 1.85
Nov 2003 1.068 1.88
Oct 2003 1.022 1.794
Sep 2003 1.022 1.792
Aug 2003 1.023 1.8
Jul 2003 1.027 1.814
Jun 2003 1.033 1.826
May 2003 1.031 1.825
Apr 2003 1.053 1.861
Mar 2003 1.049 1.85
Feb 2003 1.031 1.829
Jan 2003 1.004 1.795
Dec 2002 1.048 1.882
Nov 2002 1.044 1.87
Oct 2002 1.027 1.84
Sep 2002 1.074 1.927
Aug 2002 1.035 1.86
Jul 2002 1.077 1.942
Jun 2002 1.066 1.925
May 2002 1.094 1.976
Apr 2002 1.11 2.005
Mar 2002 1.11 2.016
Feb 2002 1.111 2.03
Jan 2002 1.091 2.001
Dec 2001 1.109 2.039
Nov 2001 1.133 2.074
Oct 2001 1.115 2.038
Sep 2001 1.107 2.017
Aug 2001 1.11 2.031
Jul 2001 1.102 2.017
Jun 2001 1.106 2.018
May 2001 1.095 2.001
Apr 2001 1.101 2.022
Mar 2001 1.103 2.033
Feb 2001 1.09 2.014
Jan 2001 1.091 2.024
Dec 2000 1.078 2.012
Nov 2000 1.065 1.987
Oct 2000 1.09 2.035
Sep 2000 1.087 2.033
Aug 2000 1.086 2.041
Jul 2000 1.089 2.047
Jun 2000 1.069 2.014
May 2000 1.052 1.992
Apr 2000 1.069 2.027
Mar 2000 1.064 2.019
Feb 2000 1.046 2.001
Jan 2000 1.059 2.038
Dec 1999 1.053 2.032
Nov 1999 1.078 2.08
Oct 1999 1.055 2.037
Sep 1999 1.08 2.089
Aug 1999 1.043 2.027
Jul 1999 1.045 2.036
Jun 1999 1.041 2.034
May 1999 1.026 2.005
Apr 1999 1.057 2.066
Mar 1999 1.057 2.081
Feb 1999 1.064 2.101
Jan 1999 1.072 2.119
Dec 1998 1.06 2.101
Nov 1998 1.084 2.147
Oct 1998 1.076 2.131
Sep 1998 1.074 2.132
Aug 1998 1.059 2.105
Jul 1998 1.033 2.056
Jun 1998 1.016 2.025
May 1998 1.032 2.059
Apr 1998 1.029 2.057
Mar 1998 1.032 2.067
Feb 1998 1.007 2.02
Jan 1998 1.022 2.054
Dec 1997 1.001 2.016
Nov 1997 1.018 2.047
Oct 1997 0.984 1.978
Sep 1997 0.992 1.999
Aug 1997 0.988 1.996
Jul 1997 1.005 2.034
Jun 1997 0.993 2.012
May 1997 1.007 2.043
Apr 1997 1.002 2.032
Mar 1997 1.009 2.048
Feb 1997 1.008 2.051
Jan 1997 1.016 2.074
Dec 1996 1.002 2.052
Nov 1996 1.003 2.054
Oct 1996 1.021 2.095
Sep 1996 1.006 2.071
Aug 1996 0.99 2.044
Jul 1996 0.972 2.011
Jun 1996 0.968 2.006
May 1996 0.949 1.968
Apr 1996 0.947 1.968
Mar 1996 0.933 1.946
Feb 1996 0.94 1.971
Jan 1996 0.941 1.98
Dec 1995 0.939 1.987
Nov 1995 0.948 2.005
Oct 1995 0.93 1.965
Sep 1995 0.939 1.991
Aug 1995 0.908 1.929
Jul 1995 0.919 1.957
Jun 1995 0.908 1.934
May 1995 0.891 1.901
Apr 1995 0.911 1.948
Mar 1995 0.917 1.967
Feb 1995 0.893 1.922
Jan 1995 0.897 1.938
Dec 1994 0.895 1.942
Nov 1994 0.904 1.961
Oct 1994 0.889 1.931
Sep 1994 0.901 1.959
Aug 1994 0.905 1.973
Jul 1994 0.92 2.014
Jun 1994 0.918 2.015
May 1994 0.902 1.986
Apr 1994 0.899 1.981
Mar 1994 0.891 1.966
Feb 1994 0.888 1.966
Jan 1994 0.899 1.997
Dec 1993 0.91 2.027
Nov 1993 0.918 2.045
Oct 1993 0.893 1.991
Sep 1993 0.897 2.008
Aug 1993 0.896 2.01
Jul 1993 0.89 2.002
Jun 1993 0.891 2.004
May 1993 0.888 2
Apr 1993 0.874 1.971
Mar 1993 0.879 1.988
Feb 1993 0.871 1.977
Jan 1993 0.875 1.993
Dec 1992 0.879 2.012
Nov 1992 0.885 2.024
Oct 1992 0.865 1.981
Sep 1992 0.881 2.025
Aug 1992 0.882 2.033
Jul 1992 0.878 2.03
Jun 1992 0.861 1.995
May 1992 0.854 1.986
Apr 1992 0.861 2.005
Mar 1992 0.859 2.003
Feb 1992 0.849 1.99
Jan 1992 0.878 2.065
Dec 1991 0.864 2.035
Nov 1991 0.857 2.02
Oct 1991 0.878 2.076
Sep 1991 0.874 2.069
Aug 1991 0.869 2.066
Jul 1991 0.888 2.118
Jun 1991 0.878 2.097
May 1991 0.883 2.115
Apr 1991 0.885 2.126
Mar 1991 0.899 2.163
Feb 1991 0.903 2.176
Jan 1991 0.886 2.138
Dec 1990 0.858 2.083
Nov 1990 0.88 2.136
Oct 1990 0.883 2.148
Sep 1990 0.907 2.22
Aug 1990 0.912 2.251
Jul 1990 0.917 2.284
Jun 1990 0.928 2.32
May 1990 0.902 2.268
Apr 1990 0.897 2.26
Mar 1990 0.928 2.342
Feb 1990 0.896 2.274
Jan 1990 0.882 2.249
Dec 1989 0.883 2.274
Nov 1989 0.879 2.268
Oct 1989 0.91 2.353
Sep 1989 0.942 2.448
Aug 1989 0.954 2.487
Jul 1989 0.964 2.517
Jun 1989 0.982 2.57
May 1989 0.961 2.521
Apr 1989 0.932 2.459
Mar 1989 0.913 2.425
Feb 1989 0.899 2.401
Jan 1989 0.905 2.427
Dec 1988 0.885 2.385
Nov 1988 0.892 2.408
Oct 1988 0.932 2.518
Sep 1988 0.975 2.643
Aug 1988 0.961 2.623
Jul 1988 0.937 2.568
Jun 1988 0.868 2.389
May 1988 0.796 2.2
Apr 1988 0.76 2.108
Mar 1988 0.753 2.099
Feb 1988 0.745 2.086
Jan 1988 0.74 2.077
Dec 1987 0.736 2.072
Nov 1987 0.756 2.128
Oct 1987 0.791 2.228
Sep 1987 0.793 2.24
Aug 1987 0.785 2.229
Jul 1987 0.755 2.155
Jun 1987 0.771 2.206
May 1987 0.782 2.246
Apr 1987 0.792 2.283
Mar 1987 0.804 2.33
Feb 1987 0.832 2.421
Jan 1987 0.821 2.398
Dec 1986 0.865 2.543
Nov 1986 0.878 2.583
Oct 1986 0.9 2.65
Sep 1986 0.91 2.682
Aug 1986 0.958 2.836
Jul 1986 0.889 2.637
Jun 1986 0.795 2.358
May 1986 0.769 2.294
Apr 1986 0.752 2.249
Mar 1986 0.767 2.29
Feb 1986 0.771 2.291
Jan 1986 0.766 2.27
Dec 1985 0.776 2.306
Nov 1985 0.778 2.318
Oct 1985 0.749 2.238
Sep 1985 0.762 2.285
Aug 1985 0.757 2.277
Jul 1985 0.753 2.269
Jun 1985 0.761 2.297
May 1985 0.745 2.255
Apr 1985 0.764 2.321
Mar 1985 0.769 2.347
Feb 1985 0.772 2.366
Jan 1985 0.773 2.38
Dec 1984 0.753 2.323
Nov 1984 0.771 2.378
Oct 1984 0.764 2.357
Sep 1984 0.79 2.444
Aug 1984 0.788 2.449
Jul 1984 0.829 2.587
Jun 1984 0.817 2.559
May 1984 0.811 2.548
Apr 1984 0.844 2.659
Mar 1984 0.848 2.685
Feb 1984 0.867 2.75
Jan 1984 0.839 2.674
Dec 1983 0.812 2.604
Nov 1983 0.766 2.458
Oct 1983 0.737 2.37
Sep 1983 0.769 2.48
Aug 1983 0.74 2.399
Jul 1983 0.724 2.354
Jun 1983 0.699 2.282
May 1983 0.687 2.249
Apr 1983 0.676 2.227
Mar 1983 0.698 2.316
Feb 1983 0.699 2.319
Jan 1983 0.689 2.288
Dec 1982 0.682 2.27
Nov 1982 0.694 2.3
Oct 1982 0.7 2.315
Sep 1982 0.713 2.365
Aug 1982 0.717 2.384
Jul 1982 0.74 2.465
Jun 1982 0.732 2.451
May 1982 0.72 2.441
Apr 1982 0.712 2.437
Mar 1982 0.715 2.457
Feb 1982 0.726 2.493
Jan 1982 0.712 2.452
Dec 1981 0.7 2.419
Nov 1981 0.702 2.433
Oct 1981 0.712 2.476
Sep 1981 0.728 2.537
Aug 1981 0.752 2.646
Jul 1981 0.767 2.72
Jun 1981 0.717 2.57
May 1981 0.706 2.554
Apr 1981 0.734 2.676
Mar 1981 0.755 2.771
Feb 1981 0.759 2.805
Jan 1981 0.749 2.796
Dec 1980 0.76 2.86
Nov 1980 0.766 2.91
Oct 1980 0.792 3.034
Sep 1980 0.791 3.059
Aug 1980 0.751 2.928
Jul 1980 0.71 2.788
Jun 1980 0.64 2.514
May 1980 0.628 2.494
Apr 1980 0.638 2.558
Mar 1980 0.655 2.656
Feb 1980 0.673 2.77
Jan 1980 0.699 2.918

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.