THE GROCERY PRICE INDEX

How much did chicken cost in 1985?

Chicken averaged $0.76 per lb in 1985 — about $2.37 in 2026 dollars.

Chicken price in 1985 Monthly average price (USD per lb) · 1985
$0.74$0.75$0.76$0.77$0.78$0.79JanMarMayJulAugOctDecJan 1985$0.77Nov 1985$0.78Dec 1985$0.78basketreport.com

12 monthly observations · Source: BLS series APU0000706111.

In 1985, chicken averaged $0.76 per lb at the U.S. city average, across all twelve months, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average price data. The monthly price ranged from $0.75 in May to $0.78 in November. Over the year it was little changed from $0.77 in January to $0.78 in December.

Adjusted for inflation, $0.76 in 1985 is worth about $2.37 in 2026 dollars. Today chicken averages $2.04 per lb, so in real terms it is 14% cheaper than it was in 1985. In plain (unadjusted) dollars the price is up 168% versus the 1985 average.

1985 monthly prices

MonthPriceMoM
January $0.77 ▲ 2.7%
February $0.77 ▼ 0.1%
March $0.77 ▼ 0.4%
April $0.76 ▼ 0.7%
May $0.75 ▼ 2.5%
June $0.76 ▲ 2.1%
July $0.75 ▼ 1.1%
August $0.76 ▲ 0.5%
September $0.76 ▲ 0.7%
October $0.75 ▼ 1.7%
November $0.78 ▲ 3.9%
December $0.78 ▼ 0.3%
1985 average$0.76

FAQ

What was the average price of chicken in 1985?

Chicken averaged $0.76 per lb in 1985, based on 12 months of BLS average price data.

How much is $0.76 of 1985 chicken worth today?

Adjusted for inflation with the CPI-U, $0.76 in 1985 is about $2.37 in 2026 dollars.

How does the 1985 price of chicken compare to now?

Chicken now averages $2.04 per lb, up 168% from the 1985 average of $0.76.

Cite this

Plain text
Basket Report. "Chicken price in 1985 (U.S. average)." Basket Report — Grocery Price Index. Retrieved June 26, 2026 from https://basketreport.com/prices/chicken/1985/. Data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series APU0000706111.
HTML
<a href="https://basketreport.com/prices/chicken/1985/">Chicken price in 1985 (U.S. average) — Basket Report</a> (data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series APU0000706111; retrieved June 26, 2026)
APA
Basket Report. (2026). Chicken price in 1985 (U.S. average) [Data set]. Basket Report — Grocery Price Index. https://basketreport.com/prices/chicken/1985/