Price of a pound of whole chicken by year, 1980–2025
A pound of whole chicken cost $0.709 on average in 1980 and $2.06 in 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The price rose 191% over those years while prices in general rose 291%, so, measured in 2025 dollars, it cost 26% less in 2025 than in 1980.
- Average in 1980
- $0.709
- Average in 2025
- $2.06
- Highest year, 2025
- $2.06
- Biggest one-year rise, 2022
- +18%
- Against inflation
- Trailed it by 26%
Every year
The table lists all 46 years with data, from 1980 to 2025. Select a year to see what everything else cost that year.
| Year | Average price | In 2025 dollars | Change from year before |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | $0.709 | $2.77 | — |
| 1981 | $0.732 | $2.59 | +3% |
| 1982 | $0.714 | $2.38 | −2% |
| 1983 | $0.725 | $2.34 | +2% |
| 1984 | $0.81 | $2.51 | +12% |
| 1985 | $0.763 | $2.28 | −6% |
| 1986 | $0.835 | $2.45 | +9% |
| 1987 | $0.785 | $2.22 | −6% |
| 1988 | $0.854 | $2.32 | +9% |
| 1989 | $0.927 | $2.41 | +9% |
| 1990 | $0.899 | $2.21 | −3% |
| 1991 | $0.88 | $2.08 | −2% |
| 1992 | $0.869 | $1.99 | −1% |
| 1993 | $0.89 | $1.98 | +2% |
| 1994 | $0.901 | $1.96 | +1% |
| 1995 | $0.917 | $1.94 | +2% |
| 1996 | $0.973 | $2.00 | +6% |
| 1997 | $1.00 | $2.01 | +3% |
| 1998 | $1.04 | $2.05 | +4% |
| 1999 | $1.06 | $2.05 | +2% |
| 2000 | $1.07 | $2.00 | +1% |
| 2001 | $1.11 | $2.02 | +4% |
| 2002 | $1.07 | $1.91 | −4% |
| 2003 | $1.03 | $1.80 | −4% |
| 2004 | $1.07 | $1.82 | +4% |
| 2005 | $1.06 | $1.75 | −1% |
| 2006 | $1.05 | $1.68 | −1% |
| 2007 | $1.12 | $1.74 | +7% |
| 2008 | $1.21 | $1.81 | +8% |
| 2009 | $1.28 | $1.92 | +6% |
| 2010 | $1.26 | $1.86 | −2% |
| 2011 | $1.29 | $1.85 | +2% |
| 2012 | $1.42 | $1.99 | +10% |
| 2013 | $1.50 | $2.07 | +6% |
| 2014 | $1.53 | $2.08 | +2% |
| 2015 | $1.49 | $2.02 | −3% |
| 2016 | $1.46 | $1.96 | −2% |
| 2017 | $1.47 | $1.93 | +1% |
| 2018 | $1.50 | $1.92 | +2% |
| 2019 | $1.50 | $1.89 | 0% |
| 2020 | $1.56 | $1.94 | +4% |
| 2021 | $1.53 | $1.82 | −2% |
| 2022 | $1.80 | $1.98 | +18% |
| 2023 | $1.91 | $2.02 | +6% |
| 2024 | $2.00 | $2.05 | +5% |
| 2025 | $2.06 | $2.06 | +3% |
Decade by decade
In the 1980s, a pound of whole chicken averaged $0.785, from a low of $0.709 in 1980 to a high of $0.927 in 1989. Across the 1990s the yearly average ran from $0.869 in 1992 to $1.06 in 1999, for a decade average of $0.943. The 2000s averaged $1.11: the most expensive year was 2009 at $1.28 and the cheapest 2003 at $1.03. In the 2010s, a pound of whole chicken averaged $1.44, from a low of $1.26 in 2010 to a high of $1.53 in 2014. Across the 2020s the yearly average ran from $1.53 in 2021 to $2.06 in 2025, for a decade average of $1.81.
Every five years in this record: 1980 $0.709, 1985 $0.763, 1990 $0.899, 1995 $0.917, 2000 $1.07, 2005 $1.06, 2010 $1.26, 2015 $1.49, 2020 $1.56 and 2025 $2.06. From 2021 to 2025, the most recent years of data, the average rose 35%, from $1.53 to $2.06.
Against inflation
In 2025 dollars, the 1980 average of $0.709 is worth $2.77. The actual 2025 average was $2.06. So after adjusting for inflation, a pound of whole chicken cost 26% less in 2025 than in 1980, even though the price on the shelf went up.
Highs, lows and big moves
The highest yearly average in this record is $2.06 in 2025, and the lowest is $0.709 in 1980. The biggest one-year increase was 18%, from $1.53 in 2021 to $1.80 in 2022. The biggest one-year decrease was 6%, from $0.835 in 1986 to $0.785 in 1987.
Of the 10 items in meat and poultry tracked here, 4 rose faster than inflation over their full records.
Average prices are U.S. city averages from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (series APU0000706111), averaged over each calendar year. A year is included only when the Bureau published at least nine months of prices for it. Values in 2025 dollars use the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) annual average. See how Sticker Shock builds its data. Figures may contain errors and are not financial advice.