Fresh whole chicken priced at $20 in 1938 $164.77 in 2024

Fresh Whole Chicken Inflation Calculator

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Prices for Fresh Whole Chicken, 1938-2024 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for fresh whole chicken are 723.87% higher in 2024 versus 1938 (a $144.77 difference in value).

Between 1938 and 2024: Fresh whole chicken experienced an average inflation rate of 2.48% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, fresh whole chicken costing $20 in the year 1938 would cost $164.77 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.67% during this same period, inflation for fresh whole chicken was lower.

In the year 1938: Pricing changed by -0.31%, which is below the average yearly change for fresh whole chicken during the 1938-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1938 (-2.03%), inflation for fresh whole chicken was higher.

Price Inflation for Fresh whole chicken since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1973 (44.27%), 1942 (20.18%), and 1943 (19.06%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1938

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Fresh whole chicken, over time, for $20 beginning in 1938. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1938$20.00-0.31%
1939$17.93-10.33%
1940$18.131.08%
1941$19.527.66%
1942$23.4520.18%
1943$27.9219.06%
1944$28.873.37%
1945$29.532.30%
1946$33.2512.60%
1947$35.035.34%
1948$38.8410.89%
1949$36.62-5.71%
1950$35.04-4.32%
1951$36.724.79%
1952$36.860.37%
1953$35.94-2.49%
1954$32.45-9.70%
1955$33.774.06%
1956$29.60-12.34%
1957$28.89-2.42%
1958$28.52-1.27%
1959$25.99-8.85%
1960$26.421.64%
1961$23.87-9.66%
1962$25.205.59%
1963$24.83-1.48%
1964$24.28-2.23%
1965$25.093.35%
1966$26.575.92%
1967$24.57-7.56%
1968$25.784.92%
1969$27.285.82%
1970$26.38-3.30%
1971$26.671.12%
1972$26.940.99%
1973$38.8644.27%
1974$36.43-6.25%
1975$41.0412.64%
1976$38.75-5.57%
1977$38.940.49%
1978$43.1610.85%
1979$43.971.87%
1980$47.588.22%
1981$48.642.22%
1982$47.75-1.83%
1983$48.521.60%
1984$54.9213.19%
1985$52.67-4.10%
1986$58.1710.45%
1987$57.09-1.85%
1988$63.0310.41%
1989$69.109.63%
1990$68.01-1.59%
1991$66.37-2.40%
1992$66.460.13%
1993$69.554.65%
1994$70.601.51%
1995$71.681.53%
1996$76.897.27%
1997$79.863.87%
1998$80.420.70%
1999$81.551.41%
2000$82.090.65%
2001$84.663.13%
2002$85.220.66%
2003$83.55-1.95%
2004$91.9110.00%
2005$94.102.38%
2006$92.75-1.43%
2007$98.876.60%
2008$104.755.95%
2009$106.751.91%
2010$106.37-0.36%
2011$110.393.78%
2012$115.644.75%
2013$122.716.12%
2014$127.013.50%
2015$127.750.58%
2016$125.71-1.60%
2017$123.40-1.84%
2018$125.221.48%
2019$124.85-0.29%
2020$131.365.21%
2021$136.273.74%
2022$154.5013.38%
2023$162.064.89%
2024$164.771.68%*

* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.


Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Fresh whole chicken:

Year193519361937193819391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI36.22338.33139.80839.68535.58535.96938.72346.53855.40857.27758.59265.97769.50077.06972.66969.53172.86273.13171.30864.39267.00858.73857.31556.58551.57752.42347.36250.00849.26948.16949.78552.73148.74651.14654.12352.33852.92353.44677.10872.28581.42376.88577.26285.64687.24694.41596.51594.75496.269108.969104.500115.415113.277125.069137.115134.938131.700131.869138.000140.085142.223152.562158.469159.577161.823162.877167.977169.092165.792182.369186.708184.031196.176207.853211.823211.065219.049229.451243.490252.024253.483249.434244.847248.459247.733260.639270.383306.568321.563326.951

Adjust fresh whole chicken prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2024 / CPI in 1938 * 1938 USD value = 2024 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Fresh whole chicken was 39.685 in the year 1938 and 326.951 in 2024:

326.951 / 39.685 * $20 = $164.77

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1938 has the same "purchasing power" as $164.77 in 2024 (in the CPI category of Fresh whole chicken).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Fresh whole chicken in 1935. In addition to fresh whole chicken, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

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