Poultry prices: $0.71 in 1980→$2.01 in 2026

Poultry Inflation Calculator

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According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average price of poultry rose 184%, from $0.71 per pound in 1980 to $2.01 in August 2026. Overall prices rose 307% over the same period, so poultry rose more slowly than inflation. This data is collected by a national survey and can vary from region to region.

● Price● Price, inflation-adjusted

Poultry inflation, 1935–2026

Poultry prices are 765.59% higher in 2026 versus 1935 (a $15.39 difference in value).

Between 1935 and 2026, Poultry experienced an average inflation rate of 2.40% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, poultry costing $2.01 in the year 1935 would cost $17.40 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.56% during this same period, inflation for poultry was lower.

Price Inflation for Poultry since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1973 (40.25%), 1942 (20.12%), and 1943 (19.11%).

Poultry prices by year

The average price for poultry is calculated from a weighted average of retailer data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The table below shows the average U.S. price of chicken, fresh, whole, per lb. (453.6 gm) each year, along with the same price adjusted for inflation. To understand how price levels differ from inflation rates, see this article published by the BLS.

YearPrice (per pound)Price, inflation-adjusted
2026 (partial)$2.03$2.03
2025$2.06$2.14
2024$2.00$2.14
2023$1.91$2.10
2022$1.80$2.06
2021$1.53$1.89
2020$1.56$2.02
2019$1.50$1.96
2018$1.50$2.00
2017$1.47$2.01
2016$1.46$2.04
2015$1.49$2.10
2014$1.53$2.17
2013$1.50$2.15
2012$1.42$2.07
2011$1.29$1.92
2010$1.26$1.94
2009$1.28$2.00
2008$1.21$1.88
2007$1.12$1.80
2006$1.05$1.74
2005$1.06$1.81
2004$1.07$1.90
2003$1.03$1.88
2002$1.07$2.00
2001$1.11$2.09
2000$1.07$2.08
1999$1.06$2.12
1998$1.04$2.14
1997$1.00$2.09
1996$0.97$2.08
1995$0.92$2.01
1994$0.90$2.04
1993$0.89$2.06
1992$0.87$2.08
1991$0.88$2.17
1990$0.90$2.30
1989$0.93$2.50
1988$0.85$2.42
1987$0.78$2.31
1986$0.84$2.55
1985$0.76$2.38
1984$0.81$2.61
1983$0.72$2.44
1982$0.71$2.48
1981$0.73$2.70
1980$0.71$2.88

Yearly averages; 2026 is through August. Inflation-adjusted to 2026 dollars.

View price changes for other categories
Public transportation · Fish and seafood · Food · Housing · More

Buying power of $2.01 since 1935

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Poultry, over time, for $2.01 beginning in 1935. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1935$2.01-
1936$2.135.86%
1937$2.213.86%
1938$2.20-0.33%
1939$1.97-10.36%
1940$2.001.05%
1941$2.157.71%
1942$2.5820.12%
1943$3.0719.11%
1944$3.183.33%
1945$3.252.34%
1946$3.6612.60%
1947$3.865.31%
1948$4.2810.89%
1949$4.03-5.71%
1950$3.86-4.30%
1951$4.044.80%
1952$4.060.37%
1953$3.96-2.48%
1954$3.57-9.77%
1955$3.724.14%
1956$3.26-12.38%
1957$3.18-2.40%
1958$3.14-1.26%
1959$2.86-8.84%
1960$2.911.61%
1961$2.63-9.69%
1962$2.775.64%
1963$2.73-1.46%
1964$2.67-2.21%
1965$2.763.06%
1966$2.905.41%
1967$2.72-6.36%
1968$2.813.14%
1969$2.965.63%
1970$2.95-0.47%
1971$2.970.58%
1972$3.001.26%
1973$4.2140.25%
1974$4.00-5.14%
1975$4.4210.53%
1976$4.24-4.07%
1977$4.260.63%
1978$4.7010.31%
1979$4.944.98%
1980$5.195.11%
1981$5.404.10%
1982$5.31-1.75%
1983$5.371.21%
1984$5.9510.65%
1985$5.89-0.97%
1986$6.337.57%
1987$6.24-1.48%
1988$6.697.22%
1989$7.359.91%
1990$7.34-0.14%
1991$7.29-0.76%
1992$7.28-0.04%
1993$7.594.20%
1994$7.843.37%
1995$7.951.36%
1996$8.456.24%
1997$8.682.76%
1998$8.710.32%
1999$8.750.49%
2000$8.861.21%
2001$9.143.15%
2002$9.261.32%
2003$9.371.22%
2004$10.077.46%
2005$10.271.96%
2006$10.09-1.77%
2007$10.615.15%
2008$11.134.99%
2009$11.321.65%
2010$11.31-0.12%
2011$11.632.91%
2012$12.275.46%
2013$12.844.68%
2014$13.101.97%
2015$13.150.40%
2016$12.80-2.66%
2017$12.820.17%
2018$12.860.32%
2019$12.83-0.25%
2020$13.555.60%
2021$14.245.11%
2022$16.3214.58%
2023$16.823.10%
2024$16.960.83%
2025$17.261.78%
2026$17.400.78%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.

Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Poultry:

Year19351936193719381939194019411942194319441945194619471948194919501951195219531954195519561957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
CPI36.26738.39239.87539.74235.62536.00038.77546.57555.47557.32558.66766.05869.56777.14272.73369.60872.95073.21771.40064.42567.09258.78357.37556.65051.64252.47547.39250.06749.33348.24249.71752.40849.07550.61753.46753.21753.52554.20076.01772.10879.70076.45876.94284.87589.10093.65097.49295.78396.942107.267106.225114.267112.575120.708132.667132.475131.467131.408136.933141.542143.467152.425156.633157.142157.908159.817164.858167.042169.083181.700185.258181.983191.359200.901204.220203.978209.916221.381231.744236.314237.251230.941231.332232.077231.492244.446256.929294.380303.518306.042311.482313.919

Adjust poultry prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2026 / CPI in 1935* 1935 USD value = 2026 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Poultry was 36.267 in the year 1935 and 313.919 in 2026:

313.919 / 36.267* $2.01 = $17.40

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $2.01 in 1935 has the same "purchasing power" as $17.40 in 2026 (in the CPI category of Poultry).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Poultry in 1935. In addition to poultry, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.