Compare · Farm & food prices
Chicken prices: what farmers get vs what stores charge
The price farmers received per pound for broilers (USDA NASS) and the average price shoppers paid per pound for a whole fresh chicken in US cities (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), month by month. They are two points in the chain, not one price; the gap between the lines is not anyone's profit.
What is compared
-
Whole chicken: average retail price, United States
BLS · per lb. (453.6 gm) · monthly
Up to date Last published Oct 14, 2026. Next expected November 2026. -
Broilers: price received, United States
USDA NASS · $ / lb · monthly
Up to date Last published Sep 29, 2026. Next expected October 2026.
Two separate lines, not a difference
These are prices struck at different points in the chain, so they are drawn as two separate lines. They are never subtracted from each other: they are paid by different people.
These are the same product in a different class; each line's label says which.
A store price includes processing, packing, transport and the store's costs. The gap between the lines is not anyone's profit.
The comparison chart
Whole chicken (whole, fresh)Broilers
Chart by TallyTill · tallytill.com
View the dataOpen every figure behind this chart in a table.Save imageSave this chart as a picture.
What the numbers say
- Whole chicken (whole, fresh): $2.06 in Sep 2026.
- Broilers: $0.65 in Aug 2026.
Every figure behind this chart
| Month | Whole chicken (whole, fresh) | Broilers |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | $2.06 | No figure |
| Aug 2026 | $2.01 | $0.65 |
| Jul 2026 | $2.01 | $0.66 |
| Jun 2026 | $2.04 | $0.70 |
| May 2026 | $2.04 | $0.71 |
| Apr 2026 | $2.03 | $0.68 |
| Mar 2026 | $2.03 | $0.67 |
| Feb 2026 | $2.05 | $0.66 |
| Jan 2026 | $2.04 | $0.68 |
| Dec 2025 | $2.02 | $0.65 |
| Nov 2025 | $2.04 | $0.59 |
| Oct 2025 | Not collected (federal shutdown) | $0.58 |
| Sep 2025 | $2.06 | $0.64 |
| Aug 2025 | $2.08 | $0.67 |
| Jul 2025 | $2.08 | $0.76 |
| Jun 2025 | $2.09 | $0.80 |
| May 2025 | $2.06 | $0.79 |
| Apr 2025 | $2.06 | $0.79 |
| Mar 2025 | $2.06 | $0.76 |
| Feb 2025 | $2.05 | $0.73 |
| Jan 2025 | $2.06 | $0.77 |
| Dec 2024 | $2.06 | $0.76 |
| Nov 2024 | $2.08 | $0.74 |
| Oct 2024 | $1.99 | $0.74 |
| Sep 2024 | $1.98 | $0.73 |
| Aug 2024 | $1.99 | $0.71 |
| Jul 2024 | $1.99 | $0.76 |
| Jun 2024 | $2.01 | $0.76 |
| May 2024 | $2.01 | $0.77 |
| Apr 2024 | $1.95 | $0.77 |
| Mar 2024 | $1.99 | $0.74 |
| Feb 2024 | $1.95 | $0.72 |
| Jan 2024 | $1.99 | $0.74 |
| Dec 2023 | $1.96 | $0.72 |
| Nov 2023 | $1.98 | $0.65 |
| Oct 2023 | $1.93 | $0.63 |
| Sep 2023 | $1.90 | $0.65 |
| Aug 2023 | $1.96 | $0.61 |
| Jul 2023 | $1.89 | $0.67 |
| Jun 2023 | $1.95 | $0.81 |
| May 2023 | $1.92 | $0.85 |
| Apr 2023 | $1.87 | $0.83 |
| Mar 2023 | $1.87 | $0.76 |
| Feb 2023 | $1.89 | $0.69 |
| Jan 2023 | $1.86 | $0.69 |
| Dec 2022 | $1.83 | $0.73 |
| Nov 2022 | $1.84 | $0.73 |
| Oct 2022 | $1.86 | $0.71 |
| Sep 2022 | $1.89 | $0.73 |
| Aug 2022 | $1.88 | $0.78 |
| Jul 2022 | $1.88 | $0.96 |
| Jun 2022 | $1.83 | $1.05 |
| May 2022 | $1.82 | $1.07 |
| Apr 2022 | $1.79 | $1.04 |
| Mar 2022 | $1.72 | $0.89 |
| Feb 2022 | $1.63 | $0.74 |
| Jan 2022 | $1.62 | $0.78 |
| Dec 2021 | $1.61 | $0.74 |
| Nov 2021 | $1.58 | $0.59 |
| Oct 2021 | $1.52 | $0.58 |
| Sep 2021 | $1.50 | $0.60 |
| Aug 2021 | $1.47 | $0.59 |
| Jul 2021 | $1.44 | $0.59 |
| Jun 2021 | $1.47 | $0.60 |
| May 2021 | $1.49 | $0.59 |
| Apr 2021 | $1.52 | $0.55 |
| Mar 2021 | $1.54 | $0.43 |
| Feb 2021 | $1.58 | $0.42 |
| Jan 2021 | $1.60 | $0.42 |
| Dec 2020 | $1.62 | $0.43 |
| Nov 2020 | $1.64 | $0.39 |
| Oct 2020 | $1.58 | $0.32 |
| Sep 2020 | $1.54 | $0.29 |
| Aug 2020 | $1.61 | $0.31 |
| Jul 2020 | $1.71 | $0.35 |
| Jun 2020 | $1.75 | $0.37 |
| May 2020 | Not available | $0.35 |
| Apr 2020 | $1.57 | $0.23 |
| Mar 2020 | $1.40 | $0.43 |
| Feb 2020 | $1.36 | $0.42 |
| Jan 2020 | $1.41 | $0.49 |
| Dec 2019 | $1.45 | $0.45 |
| Nov 2019 | $1.43 | $0.40 |
| Oct 2019 | $1.54 | $0.41 |
| Sep 2019 | $1.49 | $0.39 |
| Aug 2019 | $1.51 | $0.42 |
| Jul 2019 | $1.56 | $0.49 |
| Jun 2019 | $1.59 | $0.54 |
| May 2019 | $1.48 | $0.57 |
| Apr 2019 | $1.46 | $0.55 |
| Mar 2019 | $1.47 | $0.51 |
| Feb 2019 | $1.49 | $0.49 |
| Jan 2019 | $1.47 | $0.56 |
| Dec 2018 | $1.47 | $0.51 |
| Nov 2018 | $1.50 | $0.49 |
| Oct 2018 | $1.44 | $0.46 |
| Sep 2018 | $1.49 | $0.46 |
| Aug 2018 | $1.51 | $0.49 |
| Jul 2018 | $1.52 | $0.67 |
| Jun 2018 | $1.51 | $0.73 |
| May 2018 | $1.52 | $0.72 |
| Apr 2018 | $1.51 | $0.65 |
| Mar 2018 | $1.50 | $0.60 |
| Feb 2018 | $1.48 | $0.52 |
| Jan 2018 | $1.51 | $0.53 |
| Dec 2017 | $1.47 | $0.50 |
| Nov 2017 | $1.45 | $0.49 |
| Oct 2017 | $1.48 | $0.48 |
| Sep 2017 | $1.48 | $0.51 |
| Aug 2017 | $1.49 | $0.54 |
| Jul 2017 | $1.50 | $0.62 |
| Jun 2017 | $1.50 | $0.66 |
| May 2017 | $1.50 | $0.66 |
| Apr 2017 | $1.44 | $0.57 |
| Mar 2017 | $1.46 | $0.55 |
| Feb 2017 | $1.47 | $0.48 |
| Jan 2017 | $1.42 | $0.49 |
| Dec 2016 | $1.46 | $0.48 |
| Nov 2016 | $1.48 | $0.44 |
| Oct 2016 | $1.50 | $0.37 |
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How we decide what can be compared
- ComparableSame kind of number, unit, timing and point in the chain. Drawn together.
- ConvertibleOne exact, stated conversion makes them match, such as bushels to tons. The conversion is shown.
- Spread onlyPrices at different points, such as farm and store. Two labelled lines, never one difference.
- Context onlyDifferent levels, such as county, state and US. Each line says its level.
- Can't compareDifferent kinds of number. We say why and offer what would work.
A different grade or quality of the same product can be compared, with the grade written on its line.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Average Price Data; USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Prices. Dollars as published, not adjusted for inflation. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.This product uses the NASS API but is not endorsed or certified by NASS.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Average Price Data. Retrieved Oct 23, 2026. Not seasonally adjusted.