Chicken prices now
Fresh whole chicken cost $2.06 a pound on average across the U.S. in September 2026, up 0.1% from $2.06 a year earlier.
Show the data as a table
| Week | Chicken |
|---|---|
| Sep 1, 2026 | $2.06 |
| Aug 1, 2026 | $2.01 |
| Jul 1, 2026 | $2.00 |
| Jun 1, 2026 | $2.04 |
| May 1, 2026 | $2.04 |
| Apr 1, 2026 | $2.03 |
| Mar 1, 2026 | $2.03 |
| Feb 1, 2026 | $2.05 |
| Jan 1, 2026 | $2.04 |
| Dec 1, 2025 | $2.02 |
| Nov 1, 2025 | $2.04 |
| Sep 1, 2025 | $2.06 |
| Aug 1, 2025 | $2.08 |
| Jul 1, 2025 | $2.08 |
| Jun 1, 2025 | $2.09 |
| May 1, 2025 | $2.06 |
| Apr 1, 2025 | $2.06 |
| Mar 1, 2025 | $2.06 |
| Feb 1, 2025 | $2.05 |
| Jan 1, 2025 | $2.06 |
| Dec 1, 2024 | $2.06 |
| Nov 1, 2024 | $2.08 |
| Oct 1, 2024 | $1.99 |
| Sep 1, 2024 | $1.98 |
| Aug 1, 2024 | $1.99 |
| Jul 1, 2024 | $1.99 |
| Jun 1, 2024 | $2.01 |
| May 1, 2024 | $2.01 |
| Apr 1, 2024 | $1.95 |
| Mar 1, 2024 | $1.99 |
| Feb 1, 2024 | $1.95 |
| Jan 1, 2024 | $1.99 |
| Dec 1, 2023 | $1.96 |
| Nov 1, 2023 | $1.98 |
| Oct 1, 2023 | $1.93 |
| Sep 1, 2023 | $1.90 |
| Aug 1, 2023 | $1.96 |
| Jul 1, 2023 | $1.89 |
| Jun 1, 2023 | $1.95 |
| May 1, 2023 | $1.92 |
| Apr 1, 2023 | $1.87 |
| Mar 1, 2023 | $1.87 |
| Feb 1, 2023 | $1.89 |
| Jan 1, 2023 | $1.85 |
| Dec 1, 2022 | $1.83 |
| Nov 1, 2022 | $1.84 |
| Oct 1, 2022 | $1.86 |
| Sep 1, 2022 | $1.89 |
| Aug 1, 2022 | $1.88 |
| Jul 1, 2022 | $1.88 |
| Jun 1, 2022 | $1.83 |
| May 1, 2022 | $1.82 |
| Apr 1, 2022 | $1.79 |
| Mar 1, 2022 | $1.72 |
| Feb 1, 2022 | $1.63 |
| Jan 1, 2022 | $1.62 |
| Dec 1, 2021 | $1.61 |
| Nov 1, 2021 | $1.58 |
| Oct 1, 2021 | $1.52 |
| Sep 1, 2021 | $1.50 |
| Aug 1, 2021 | $1.47 |
| Jul 1, 2021 | $1.44 |
| Jun 1, 2021 | $1.47 |
| May 1, 2021 | $1.49 |
| Apr 1, 2021 | $1.51 |
| Mar 1, 2021 | $1.54 |
| Feb 1, 2021 | $1.58 |
| Jan 1, 2021 | $1.59 |
| Dec 1, 2020 | $1.62 |
| Nov 1, 2020 | $1.64 |
| Oct 1, 2020 | $1.58 |
| Sep 1, 2020 | $1.54 |
| Aug 1, 2020 | $1.61 |
| Jul 1, 2020 | $1.71 |
| Jun 1, 2020 | $1.75 |
| Apr 1, 2020 | $1.57 |
| Mar 1, 2020 | $1.40 |
| Feb 1, 2020 | $1.36 |
| Jan 1, 2020 | $1.41 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, average price, U.S. city average (series APU0000706111), via FRED, through September 2026.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Average Price: fresh whole chicken (per pound), U.S. city average (series APU0000706111), via FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. BLS collects these prices monthly for the Consumer Price Index. Changes are our calculation.
What this means for you
National averages hide big differences between stores and regions, so use this as a yardstick: if your usual store is well above $2.06 a pound, store brands, warehouse clubs or weekly sales may be worth a look. For the whole food budget, see our average grocery bill guide, or follow everyday prices together in the Cost Index.
Common questions
How much is whole chicken right now?
$2.06 a pound in September 2026, the U.S. city average price for fresh whole chicken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Is chicken more expensive than last year?
Yes. A year earlier the average was $2.06 a pound, so the price is up 0.1% (our calculation from BLS data).
What was the highest chicken price recently?
Since January 2020, the highest monthly average was $2.09 in June 2025 and the lowest $1.36 in February 2020 (BLS).
Why does my store charge a different price for chicken?
This is a national average across many stores and cities each month. Your price depends on the region, the store, the brand, the package size and any sales that week.