Meats, poultry, and fish price inflation, 1979→2026

Meats, Poultry, And Fish Inflation Calculator

Prices for Meats, Poultry, And Fish, 1979-2026 ($20)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for meats, poultry, and fish are 296.01% higher in 2026 versus 1979 (a $59.20 difference in value).

Between 1979 and 2026:Meats, poultry, and fish experienced an average inflation rate of 2.97% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, meats, poultry, and fish costing $20 in the year 1979 would cost $79.20 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.24% during this same period, inflation for meats, poultry, and fish was lower.

In the year 1979: Pricing changed by 14.88%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for meats, poultry, and fish during the 1979-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1979 (11.25%), inflation for meats, poultry, and fish was much higher.

Price Inflation for Meats, poultry, and fish since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1947 (34.67%), 1973 (25.28%), and 1946 (22.76%).

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Buying power of $20.00 since 1979

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Meats, poultry, and fish, over time, for $20 beginning in 1979. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

Year	USD Value	Inflation Rate
1979	$20.00	14.88%
1980	$20.74	3.71%
1981	$21.60	4.15%
1982	$22.47	4.01%
1983	$22.32	-0.67%
1984	$22.69	1.66%
1985	$22.62	-0.31%
1986	$23.60	4.33%
1987	$25.12	6.44%
1988	$26.01	3.54%
1989	$27.31	5.02%
1990	$29.31	7.32%
1991	$29.98	2.28%
1992	$29.75	-0.74%
1993	$30.73	3.26%
1994	$31.18	1.48%
1995	$31.47	0.93%
1996	$32.58	3.52%
1997	$33.51	2.87%
1998	$33.24	-0.83%
1999	$33.47	0.69%
2000	$34.97	4.51%
2001	$36.54	4.46%
2002	$36.70	0.46%
2003	$38.18	4.01%
2004	$41.00	7.40%
2005	$41.98	2.39%
2006	$42.33	0.83%
2007	$43.95	3.82%
2008	$45.79	4.19%
2009	$46.03	0.52%
2010	$46.91	1.92%
2011	$50.36	7.36%
2012	$52.16	3.57%
2013	$53.23	2.06%
2014	$57.06	7.19%
2015	$58.14	1.88%
2016	$56.10	-3.51%
2017	$56.02	-0.15%
2018	$56.39	0.67%
2019	$56.97	1.02%
2020	$60.56	6.32%
2021	$64.66	6.77%
2022	$70.86	9.59%
2023	$72.25	1.96%
2024	$73.45	1.66%
2025	$76.66	4.37%
2026	$79.20	3.31%*

* 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 Meats, poultry, and fish:

Year	1935	1936	1937	1938	1939	1940	1941	1942	1943	1944	1945	1946	1947	1948	1949	1950	1951	1952	1953	1954	1955	1956	1957	1958	1959	1960	1961	1962	1963	1964	1965	1966	1967	1968	1969	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
CPI	13.008	12.883	13.783	12.892	12.617	12.492	14.042	16.433	17.450	16.950	17.133	21.033	28.325	32.158	30.442	31.742	35.500	35.192	33.300	32.733	30.767	29.417	31.867	34.875	33.525	33.125	33.167	33.975	33.483	32.933	35.125	38.100	37.142	37.992	41.158	43.283	43.425	47.575	59.600	60.900	66.133	66.667	66.267	77.400	88.917	92.217	96.042	99.892	99.225	100.875	100.558	104.908	111.667	115.617	121.425	130.308	133.275	132.283	136.600	138.625	139.917	144.842	148.992	147.758	148.783	155.492	162.433	163.175	169.725	182.292	186.650	188.200	195.383	203.566	204.620	208.553	223.892	231.890	236.673	253.689	258.465	249.397	249.035	250.694	253.261	269.255	287.475	315.045	321.232	326.550	340.829	352.116

Adjust meats, poultry, and fish prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2026 / CPI in 1979* 1979 USD value = 2026 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Meats, poultry, and fish was 88.917 in the year 1979 and 352.116 in 2026:

352.116 / 88.917* $20 = $79.20

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $20 in 1979 has the same "purchasing power" as $79.20 in 2026 (in the CPI category of Meats, poultry, and fish).

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