Chicken, fresh, whole

Fresh whole chicken price per pound

U.S. city average · June 2026

$2.04 per pound

▲ 0.4% MoM ▼ 2.0% YoY

Fresh whole chicken averaged $2.04 per pound in June 2026, up 0.4% from last month and down 2.0% from last year, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average price data.

2% below the June 2025 peak of $2.09

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Chicken price history Average price (USD per pound) · Monthly

Chart shown: January 1980 – June 2026 · Full series: January 1980 – June 2026 (556 observations) · Source: BLS series APU0000706111.

Quick take

Chicken prices rose 0.4% from May to June 2026 and are 2.0% lower than a year ago. Prices remain below the June 2025 peak of $2.09 but well above the 1980 level of $0.70.

Why is chicken cheaper than beef? →

Chicken price history by year

Every historical year is consolidated into one complete archive with annual averages, monthly prices, and inflation-adjusted values.

Browse the complete chicken price history →

Explore this price

From chicken to the full grocery basket

Chicken added $0.02 to June’s basket change.

Relevant explainerWhy is chicken cheaper than beef? Price historySee the complete chicken series 2026 monthly tableJump to this year’s observations Basket Index contributionChicken added $0.02 to June’s basket change. Related pricesBrowse meat & poultry Regional comparisonCompare this staple across four U.S. regions Similar stapleGround beef or Chicken breast

What drives the price of chicken

The United States is the world’s largest producer of broiler (meat) chickens, and retail prices are driven mostly by feed-grain costs: corn and soybean meal make up the bulk of what it costs to raise a bird. Because broilers reach market weight in weeks rather than the years cattle need, production responds relatively quickly, which tends to keep chicken among the cheaper animal proteins. Avian influenza can still disrupt supply, though laying flocks are usually hit harder than broilers.

BLS series APU0000706111 tracks the average retail price of chicken, fresh, whole at the U.S. city average, measured per pound and reported monthly back to 1980.

Background: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service — Poultry & Eggs. Price data: BLS series APU0000706111.

Chicken price FAQ

How much does a pound of fresh whole chicken cost right now?

As of June 2026, fresh whole chicken averaged $2.04 per pound at the national U.S. city average, per BLS CPI Average Price Data.

Are chicken prices going down in 2026?

The latest 2026 BLS reading shows chicken prices up 0.4% versus the prior month and down 2.0% versus a year ago (June 2026).

What is the highest price chicken has reached?

The record high is $2.09 per pound, set in June 2025; the record low is $0.63 in May 1980.

Where does this chicken price data come from?

From the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI Average Price Data program, retrieved via the BLS Public Data API. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.

How much did chicken cost in 2001?

In 2001, chicken averaged $1.09 per pound at the U.S. city average — versus $2.04 today (June 2026), about 87% higher now.

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Plain text

Basket Report. "Average chicken price (U.S. city average)." Basket Report — Grocery Price Index. Retrieved August 1, 2026 from https://basketreport.com/prices/chicken/. Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series APU0000706111.

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<a href="https://basketreport.com/prices/chicken/">Average chicken price (U.S. city average) — Basket Report</a> (data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series APU0000706111; retrieved August 1, 2026)

APA

Basket Report. (2026). Average chicken price (U.S. city average) [Data set]. Basket Report — Grocery Price Index. https://basketreport.com/prices/chicken/