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 June 2026 (our latest available CPI data baseline).

Key Takeaways
  • The latest average price for a pound of chicken was $2.044, in June 2026.
  • In January 1980, the nominal price was $0.699, which is equivalent to $3 in today's dollars.
  • Since January 1980, the inflation-adjusted price has fallen 31.88%, an average decline of -0.82% per year.
  • The peak inflation-adjusted price was $3.145, 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
Jun 2026 2.044 2.044
May 2026 2.036 2.029
Apr 2026 2.026 2.032
Mar 2026 2.033 2.056
Feb 2026 2.049 2.094
Jan 2026 2.041 2.096
Dec 2025 2.02 2.082
Nov 2025 2.044 2.106
Sep 2025 2.061 2.119
Aug 2025 2.076 2.14
Jul 2025 2.078 2.148
Jun 2025 2.086 2.16
May 2025 2.061 2.141
Apr 2025 2.059 2.143
Mar 2025 2.064 2.155
Feb 2025 2.051 2.147
Jan 2025 2.061 2.167
Dec 2024 2.061 2.181
Nov 2024 2.076 2.197
Oct 2024 1.987 2.102
Sep 2024 1.979 2.096
Aug 2024 1.988 2.109
Jul 2024 1.988 2.111
Jun 2024 2.007 2.133
May 2024 2.013 2.14
Apr 2024 1.953 2.08
Mar 2024 1.991 2.129
Feb 2024 1.951 2.1
Jan 2024 1.987 2.152
Dec 2023 1.955 2.128
Nov 2023 1.976 2.149
Oct 2023 1.926 2.091
Sep 2023 1.901 2.063
Aug 2023 1.958 2.13
Jul 2023 1.891 2.066
Jun 2023 1.953 2.138
May 2023 1.92 2.108
Apr 2023 1.873 2.062
Mar 2023 1.868 2.067
Feb 2023 1.894 2.102
Jan 2023 1.855 2.071
Dec 2022 1.83 2.059
Nov 2022 1.843 2.067
Oct 2022 1.863 2.088
Sep 2022 1.891 2.128
Aug 2022 1.879 2.119
Jul 2022 1.88 2.119
Jun 2022 1.826 2.058
May 2022 1.824 2.084
Apr 2022 1.794 2.072
Mar 2022 1.724 2.003
Feb 2022 1.632 1.921
Jan 2022 1.622 1.927
Dec 2021 1.606 1.924
Nov 2021 1.583 1.902
Oct 2021 1.523 1.839
Sep 2021 1.504 1.831
Aug 2021 1.472 1.797
Jul 2021 1.435 1.755
Jun 2021 1.474 1.812
May 2021 1.486 1.843
Apr 2021 1.515 1.895
Mar 2021 1.543 1.945
Feb 2021 1.583 2.01
Jan 2021 1.595 2.036
Dec 2020 1.621 2.078
Nov 2020 1.639 2.103
Oct 2020 1.58 2.026
Sep 2020 1.542 1.978
Aug 2020 1.609 2.067
Jul 2020 1.712 2.207
Jun 2020 1.747 2.263
Apr 2020 1.571 2.046
Mar 2020 1.4 1.811
Feb 2020 1.362 1.758
Jan 2020 1.409 1.824
Dec 2019 1.45 1.884
Nov 2019 1.43 1.857
Oct 2019 1.538 1.996
Sep 2019 1.487 1.934
Aug 2019 1.514 1.971
Jul 2019 1.562 2.033
Jun 2019 1.59 2.073
May 2019 1.479 1.929
Apr 2019 1.463 1.912
Mar 2019 1.468 1.929
Feb 2019 1.486 1.963
Jan 2019 1.473 1.954
Dec 2018 1.466 1.949
Nov 2018 1.501 1.989
Oct 2018 1.444 1.907
Sep 2018 1.487 1.967
Aug 2018 1.511 2.001
Jul 2018 1.519 2.013
Jun 2018 1.514 2.006
May 2018 1.523 2.022
Apr 2018 1.511 2.014
Mar 2018 1.502 2.01
Feb 2018 1.478 1.982
Jan 2018 1.509 2.033
Dec 2017 1.47 1.991
Nov 2017 1.451 1.964
Oct 2017 1.484 2.009
Sep 2017 1.48 2.002
Aug 2017 1.489 2.025
Jul 2017 1.496 2.041
Jun 2017 1.497 2.041
May 2017 1.499 2.045
Apr 2017 1.444 1.972
Mar 2017 1.462 2.003
Feb 2017 1.473 2.019
Jan 2017 1.418 1.95
Dec 2016 1.463 2.024
Nov 2016 1.478 2.045
Oct 2016 1.502 2.075
Sep 2016 1.487 2.057
Aug 2016 1.426 1.977
Jul 2016 1.445 2.005
Jun 2016 1.408 1.951
May 2016 1.489 2.07
Apr 2016 1.496 2.088
Mar 2016 1.463 2.052
Feb 2016 1.478 2.082
Jan 2016 1.429 2.014
Dec 2015 1.437 2.029
Nov 2015 1.484 2.088
Oct 2015 1.43 2.008
Sep 2015 1.415 1.986
Aug 2015 1.428 2.001
Jul 2015 1.487 2.081
Jun 2015 1.515 2.12
May 2015 1.483 2.083
Apr 2015 1.539 2.172
Mar 2015 1.545 2.185
Feb 2015 1.55 2.205
Jan 2015 1.546 2.209
Dec 2014 1.541 2.192
Nov 2014 1.533 2.168
Oct 2014 1.549 2.179
Sep 2014 1.543 2.165
Aug 2014 1.572 2.207
Jul 2014 1.495 2.096
Jun 2014 1.503 2.106
May 2014 1.556 2.184
Apr 2014 1.53 2.155
Mar 2014 1.544 2.182
Feb 2014 1.504 2.139
Jan 2014 1.529 2.183
Dec 2013 1.52 2.178
Nov 2013 1.518 2.175
Oct 2013 1.543 2.206
Sep 2013 1.528 2.179
Aug 2013 1.489 2.126
Jul 2013 1.484 2.122
Jun 2013 1.509 2.158
May 2013 1.466 2.102
Apr 2013 1.473 2.115
Mar 2013 1.471 2.11
Feb 2013 1.456 2.094
Jan 2013 1.497 2.171
Dec 2012 1.482 2.156
Nov 2012 1.512 2.193
Oct 2012 1.53 2.209
Sep 2012 1.455 2.1
Aug 2012 1.433 2.077
Jul 2012 1.454 2.119
Jun 2012 1.39 2.023
May 2012 1.347 1.957
Apr 2012 1.401 2.033
Mar 2012 1.372 1.997
Feb 2012 1.356 1.989
Jan 2012 1.334 1.965
Dec 2011 1.34 1.983
Nov 2011 1.304 1.925
Oct 2011 1.312 1.935
Sep 2011 1.294 1.905
Aug 2011 1.296 1.91
Jul 2011 1.306 1.93
Jun 2011 1.305 1.931
May 2011 1.302 1.924
Apr 2011 1.261 1.872
Mar 2011 1.269 1.896
Feb 2011 1.266 1.91
Jan 2011 1.241 1.882
Dec 2010 1.28 1.95
Nov 2010 1.277 1.949
Oct 2010 1.302 1.988
Sep 2010 1.276 1.951
Aug 2010 1.254 1.918
Jul 2010 1.28 1.961
Jun 2010 1.239 1.898
May 2010 1.259 1.927
Apr 2010 1.23 1.884
Mar 2010 1.231 1.889
Feb 2010 1.265 1.949
Jan 2010 1.265 1.95
Dec 2009 1.267 1.959
Nov 2009 1.256 1.939
Oct 2009 1.244 1.922
Sep 2009 1.258 1.945
Aug 2009 1.287 1.991
Jul 2009 1.261 1.955
Jun 2009 1.282 1.985
May 2009 1.304 2.036
Apr 2009 1.296 2.03
Mar 2009 1.301 2.043
Feb 2009 1.29 2.03
Jan 2009 1.292 2.043
Dec 2008 1.305 2.073
Nov 2008 1.304 2.05
Oct 2008 1.205 1.858
Sep 2008 1.214 1.853
Aug 2008 1.223 1.864
Jul 2008 1.191 1.808
Jun 2008 1.181 1.802
May 2008 1.194 1.841
Apr 2008 1.176 1.828
Mar 2008 1.168 1.827
Feb 2008 1.159 1.828
Jan 2008 1.163 1.84
Dec 2007 1.166 1.854
Nov 2007 1.161 1.845
Oct 2007 1.135 1.814
Sep 2007 1.142 1.829
Aug 2007 1.145 1.839
Jul 2007 1.13 1.812
Jun 2007 1.134 1.818
May 2007 1.118 1.795
Apr 2007 1.115 1.802
Mar 2007 1.064 1.73
Feb 2007 1.039 1.705
Jan 2007 1.033 1.704
Dec 2006 1.057 1.749
Nov 2006 1.049 1.739
Oct 2006 1.038 1.718
Sep 2006 1.063 1.75
Aug 2006 1.048 1.716
Jul 2006 1.04 1.707
Jun 2006 1.055 1.736
May 2006 1.034 1.705
Apr 2006 1.054 1.747
Mar 2006 1.047 1.75
Feb 2006 1.045 1.756
Jan 2006 1.062 1.788
Dec 2005 1.061 1.8
Nov 2005 1.059 1.79
Oct 2005 1.062 1.78
Sep 2005 1.056 1.774
Aug 2005 1.042 1.772
Jul 2005 1.067 1.824
Jun 2005 1.075 1.846
May 2005 1.052 1.807
Apr 2005 1.07 1.836
Mar 2005 1.061 1.833
Feb 2005 1.038 1.807
Jan 2005 1.026 1.797
Dec 2004 1.03 1.808
Nov 2004 1.039 1.817
Oct 2004 1.078 1.886
Sep 2004 1.078 1.896
Aug 2004 1.092 1.924
Jul 2004 1.077 1.899
Jun 2004 1.06 1.866
May 2004 1.039 1.835
Apr 2004 1.12 1.99
Mar 2004 1.1 1.96
Feb 2004 1.06 1.901
Jan 2004 1.062 1.915
Dec 2003 1.05 1.903
Nov 2003 1.068 1.933
Oct 2003 1.022 1.845
Sep 2003 1.022 1.843
Aug 2003 1.023 1.851
Jul 2003 1.027 1.865
Jun 2003 1.033 1.878
May 2003 1.031 1.876
Apr 2003 1.053 1.913
Mar 2003 1.049 1.902
Feb 2003 1.031 1.88
Jan 2003 1.004 1.845
Dec 2002 1.048 1.935
Nov 2002 1.044 1.923
Oct 2002 1.027 1.892
Sep 2002 1.074 1.982
Aug 2002 1.035 1.913
Jul 2002 1.077 1.997
Jun 2002 1.066 1.979
May 2002 1.094 2.032
Apr 2002 1.11 2.062
Mar 2002 1.11 2.073
Feb 2002 1.111 2.087
Jan 2002 1.091 2.057
Dec 2001 1.109 2.096
Nov 2001 1.133 2.133
Oct 2001 1.115 2.095
Sep 2001 1.107 2.073
Aug 2001 1.11 2.088
Jul 2001 1.102 2.073
Jun 2001 1.106 2.075
May 2001 1.095 2.058
Apr 2001 1.101 2.078
Mar 2001 1.103 2.091
Feb 2001 1.09 2.071
Jan 2001 1.091 2.081
Dec 2000 1.078 2.069
Nov 2000 1.065 2.043
Oct 2000 1.09 2.092
Sep 2000 1.087 2.09
Aug 2000 1.086 2.099
Jul 2000 1.089 2.105
Jun 2000 1.069 2.071
May 2000 1.052 2.048
Apr 2000 1.069 2.084
Mar 2000 1.064 2.075
Feb 2000 1.046 2.057
Jan 2000 1.059 2.095
Dec 1999 1.053 2.089
Nov 1999 1.078 2.139
Oct 1999 1.055 2.095
Sep 1999 1.08 2.148
Aug 1999 1.043 2.084
Jul 1999 1.045 2.093
Jun 1999 1.041 2.092
May 1999 1.026 2.062
Apr 1999 1.057 2.124
Mar 1999 1.057 2.139
Feb 1999 1.064 2.16
Jan 1999 1.072 2.179
Dec 1998 1.06 2.16
Nov 1998 1.084 2.207
Oct 1998 1.076 2.191
Sep 1998 1.074 2.192
Aug 1998 1.059 2.164
Jul 1998 1.033 2.114
Jun 1998 1.016 2.082
May 1998 1.032 2.117
Apr 1998 1.029 2.115
Mar 1998 1.032 2.125
Feb 1998 1.007 2.077
Jan 1998 1.022 2.112
Dec 1997 1.001 2.072
Nov 1997 1.018 2.105
Oct 1997 0.984 2.033
Sep 1997 0.992 2.055
Aug 1997 0.988 2.052
Jul 1997 1.005 2.091
Jun 1997 0.993 2.069
May 1997 1.007 2.1
Apr 1997 1.002 2.089
Mar 1997 1.009 2.106
Feb 1997 1.008 2.109
Jan 1997 1.016 2.133
Dec 1996 1.002 2.11
Nov 1996 1.003 2.112
Oct 1996 1.021 2.154
Sep 1996 1.006 2.129
Aug 1996 0.99 2.102
Jul 1996 0.972 2.068
Jun 1996 0.968 2.063
May 1996 0.949 2.024
Apr 1996 0.947 2.023
Mar 1996 0.933 2.001
Feb 1996 0.94 2.027
Jan 1996 0.941 2.035
Dec 1995 0.939 2.043
Nov 1995 0.948 2.061
Oct 1995 0.93 2.021
Sep 1995 0.939 2.047
Aug 1995 0.908 1.983
Jul 1995 0.919 2.012
Jun 1995 0.908 1.988
May 1995 0.891 1.955
Apr 1995 0.911 2.003
Mar 1995 0.917 2.023
Feb 1995 0.893 1.976
Jan 1995 0.897 1.993
Dec 1994 0.895 1.997
Nov 1994 0.904 2.017
Oct 1994 0.889 1.986
Sep 1994 0.901 2.014
Aug 1994 0.905 2.028
Jul 1994 0.92 2.07
Jun 1994 0.918 2.071
May 1994 0.902 2.042
Apr 1994 0.899 2.037
Mar 1994 0.891 2.021
Feb 1994 0.888 2.021
Jan 1994 0.899 2.054
Dec 1993 0.91 2.084
Nov 1993 0.918 2.103
Oct 1993 0.893 2.047
Sep 1993 0.897 2.064
Aug 1993 0.896 2.066
Jul 1993 0.89 2.058
Jun 1993 0.891 2.061
May 1993 0.888 2.057
Apr 1993 0.874 2.027
Mar 1993 0.879 2.044
Feb 1993 0.871 2.033
Jan 1993 0.875 2.049
Dec 1992 0.879 2.069
Nov 1992 0.885 2.081
Oct 1992 0.865 2.037
Sep 1992 0.881 2.082
Aug 1992 0.882 2.09
Jul 1992 0.878 2.087
Jun 1992 0.861 2.051
May 1992 0.854 2.041
Apr 1992 0.861 2.061
Mar 1992 0.859 2.059
Feb 1992 0.849 2.046
Jan 1992 0.878 2.123
Dec 1991 0.864 2.092
Nov 1991 0.857 2.077
Oct 1991 0.878 2.134
Sep 1991 0.874 2.127
Aug 1991 0.869 2.124
Jul 1991 0.888 2.177
Jun 1991 0.878 2.156
May 1991 0.883 2.175
Apr 1991 0.885 2.186
Mar 1991 0.899 2.224
Feb 1991 0.903 2.237
Jan 1991 0.886 2.198
Dec 1990 0.858 2.141
Nov 1990 0.88 2.196
Oct 1990 0.883 2.209
Sep 1990 0.907 2.283
Aug 1990 0.912 2.314
Jul 1990 0.917 2.348
Jun 1990 0.928 2.386
May 1990 0.902 2.331
Apr 1990 0.897 2.324
Mar 1990 0.928 2.408
Feb 1990 0.896 2.338
Jan 1990 0.882 2.312
Dec 1989 0.883 2.338
Nov 1989 0.879 2.332
Oct 1989 0.91 2.42
Sep 1989 0.942 2.517
Aug 1989 0.954 2.557
Jul 1989 0.964 2.588
Jun 1989 0.982 2.643
May 1989 0.961 2.592
Apr 1989 0.932 2.528
Mar 1989 0.913 2.493
Feb 1989 0.899 2.469
Jan 1989 0.905 2.496
Dec 1988 0.885 2.453
Nov 1988 0.892 2.476
Oct 1988 0.932 2.589
Sep 1988 0.975 2.718
Aug 1988 0.961 2.697
Jul 1988 0.937 2.641
Jun 1988 0.868 2.457
May 1988 0.796 2.262
Apr 1988 0.76 2.167
Mar 1988 0.753 2.159
Feb 1988 0.745 2.145
Jan 1988 0.74 2.136
Dec 1987 0.736 2.13
Nov 1987 0.756 2.188
Oct 1987 0.791 2.291
Sep 1987 0.793 2.303
Aug 1987 0.785 2.292
Jul 1987 0.755 2.216
Jun 1987 0.771 2.269
May 1987 0.782 2.309
Apr 1987 0.792 2.347
Mar 1987 0.804 2.395
Feb 1987 0.832 2.49
Jan 1987 0.821 2.466
Dec 1986 0.865 2.614
Nov 1986 0.878 2.656
Oct 1986 0.9 2.725
Sep 1986 0.91 2.758
Aug 1986 0.958 2.916
Jul 1986 0.889 2.711
Jun 1986 0.795 2.425
May 1986 0.769 2.358
Apr 1986 0.752 2.312
Mar 1986 0.767 2.354
Feb 1986 0.771 2.356
Jan 1986 0.766 2.334
Dec 1985 0.776 2.371
Nov 1985 0.778 2.384
Oct 1985 0.749 2.301
Sep 1985 0.762 2.35
Aug 1985 0.757 2.341
Jul 1985 0.753 2.333
Jun 1985 0.761 2.362
May 1985 0.745 2.319
Apr 1985 0.764 2.387
Mar 1985 0.769 2.414
Feb 1985 0.772 2.432
Jan 1985 0.773 2.447
Dec 1984 0.753 2.388
Nov 1984 0.771 2.445
Oct 1984 0.764 2.423
Sep 1984 0.79 2.513
Aug 1984 0.788 2.518
Jul 1984 0.829 2.659
Jun 1984 0.817 2.631
May 1984 0.811 2.619
Apr 1984 0.844 2.734
Mar 1984 0.848 2.76
Feb 1984 0.867 2.828
Jan 1984 0.839 2.75
Dec 1983 0.812 2.677
Nov 1983 0.766 2.528
Oct 1983 0.737 2.437
Sep 1983 0.769 2.55
Aug 1983 0.74 2.466
Jul 1983 0.724 2.42
Jun 1983 0.699 2.346
May 1983 0.687 2.313
Apr 1983 0.676 2.29
Mar 1983 0.698 2.381
Feb 1983 0.699 2.384
Jan 1983 0.689 2.353
Dec 1982 0.682 2.334
Nov 1982 0.694 2.365
Oct 1982 0.7 2.381
Sep 1982 0.713 2.432
Aug 1982 0.717 2.451
Jul 1982 0.74 2.535
Jun 1982 0.732 2.52
May 1982 0.72 2.51
Apr 1982 0.712 2.506
Mar 1982 0.715 2.527
Feb 1982 0.726 2.563
Jan 1982 0.712 2.521
Dec 1981 0.7 2.487
Nov 1981 0.702 2.502
Oct 1981 0.712 2.546
Sep 1981 0.728 2.609
Aug 1981 0.752 2.721
Jul 1981 0.767 2.796
Jun 1981 0.717 2.643
May 1981 0.706 2.626
Apr 1981 0.734 2.751
Mar 1981 0.755 2.849
Feb 1981 0.759 2.884
Jan 1981 0.749 2.875
Dec 1980 0.76 2.941
Nov 1980 0.766 2.992
Oct 1980 0.792 3.119
Sep 1980 0.791 3.145
Aug 1980 0.751 3.011
Jul 1980 0.71 2.867
Jun 1980 0.64 2.584
May 1980 0.628 2.564
Apr 1980 0.638 2.63
Mar 1980 0.655 2.731
Feb 1980 0.673 2.849
Jan 1980 0.699 3

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