Historical statistics comparison
Select two administrations to compare their available statistics side by side. Differences are descriptive, not rankings or measures of presidential causation.
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| Statistic | A: Joe Biden | B: Donald Trump | Difference (B − A) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | |||
| Average Unemployment Rate Monthly seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the civilian labor force age 16 and older. | 4.11% 48 observations; 2021-02-01 to 2025-01-01 | 4.27% 19 observations; 2025-02-01 to 2026-09-01 | +0.16 pp |
| Starting Unemployment Rate Monthly seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the civilian labor force age 16 and older. | 6.2% 48 observations; 2021-02-01 to 2025-01-01 | 4.2% 19 observations; 2025-02-01 to 2026-09-01 | −2 pp |
| Ending Unemployment Rate Monthly seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the civilian labor force age 16 and older. | 4% 48 observations; 2021-02-01 to 2025-01-01 | 4.2% 19 observations; 2025-02-01 to 2026-09-01 | +0.2 pp |
| Federal Finances | |||
| Average Federal Monthly Deficit Federal monthly unified budget deficit (positive) or surplus (negative), billions of nominal USD. | $162.68B 48 observations; 2021-01-31 to 2024-12-31 | $145.59B 21 observations; 2025-01-31 to 2026-09-30 | −$17.09B |
| Starting Federal Monthly Deficit Federal monthly unified budget deficit (positive) or surplus (negative), billions of nominal USD. | $162.83B 48 observations; 2021-01-31 to 2024-12-31 | $128.64B 21 observations; 2025-01-31 to 2026-09-30 | −$34.19B |
| Ending Federal Monthly Deficit Federal monthly unified budget deficit (positive) or surplus (negative), billions of nominal USD. | $86.73B 48 observations; 2021-01-31 to 2024-12-31 | $26.9B 21 observations; 2025-01-31 to 2026-09-30 | −$59.83B |
| Average Total National Debt Outstanding Total federal debt outstanding, including debt held by the public and intragovernmental holdings. | 32 1004 observations; 2021-01-20 to 2025-01-17 | 38 442 observations; 2025-01-21 to 2026-10-22 | +6 |
| Starting Total National Debt Outstanding Total federal debt outstanding, including debt held by the public and intragovernmental holdings. | 28 1004 observations; 2021-01-20 to 2025-01-17 | 36 442 observations; 2025-01-21 to 2026-10-22 | +8 |
| Ending Total National Debt Outstanding Total federal debt outstanding, including debt held by the public and intragovernmental holdings. | 36 1004 observations; 2021-01-20 to 2025-01-17 | 40 442 observations; 2025-01-21 to 2026-10-22 | +4 |
| Cumulative Federal Deficit Nominal monthly Treasury deficit/surplus observations; positive denotes deficit. | $7,808.45B 48/48 months | $3,057.29B 21/21 months · Provisional | −$4,751.16B |
| First 12-Month Federal Deficit Nominal monthly Treasury deficit/surplus observations; positive denotes deficit. | $2,576.96B 48/48 months | $1,667.14B 21/21 months · Provisional | −$909.82B |
| Last 12-Month Federal Deficit Nominal monthly Treasury deficit/surplus observations; positive denotes deficit. | $2,028.73B 48/48 months | $1,992.53B 21/21 months · Provisional | −$36.2B |
| Starting National Debt Total federal debt outstanding, including intragovernmental holdings. Earlier boundaries may use annual estimates. | $27.753T daily/daily precision | $36.207T daily/daily precision · Provisional | +$8.454T |
| Ending National Debt Total federal debt outstanding, including intragovernmental holdings. Earlier boundaries may use annual estimates. | $36.207T daily/daily precision | $40.444T daily/daily precision · Provisional | +$4.238T |
| Change in National Debt Total federal debt outstanding, including intragovernmental holdings. Earlier boundaries may use annual estimates. | $8.454T daily/daily precision | $4.238T daily/daily precision · Provisional | −$4.216T |
| Economy | |||
| Average Inflation Rate Monthly year-over-year percentage change in the CPI-U All Items index (not seasonally adjusted). | 4.98% 48 observations; 2021-02-01 to 2025-01-01 | 2.99% 19 observations; 2025-02-01 to 2026-09-01 | −1.99 pp |
| Starting Inflation Rate Monthly year-over-year percentage change in the CPI-U All Items index (not seasonally adjusted). | 1.68% 48 observations; 2021-02-01 to 2025-01-01 | 2.82% 19 observations; 2025-02-01 to 2026-09-01 | +1.15 pp |
| Ending Inflation Rate Monthly year-over-year percentage change in the CPI-U All Items index (not seasonally adjusted). | 3% 48 observations; 2021-02-01 to 2025-01-01 | 3.74% 19 observations; 2025-02-01 to 2026-09-01 | +0.74 pp |
| Average Real Median Household Income Median annual household income in the United States, adjusted for inflation. | 83,668 4 observations; 2021-12-31 to 2024-12-31 | 87,460 1 observations; 2025-12-31 to 2025-12-31 | +3,793 |
| Starting Real Median Household Income Median annual household income in the United States, adjusted for inflation. | 83,270 4 observations; 2021-12-31 to 2024-12-31 | 87,460 1 observations; 2025-12-31 to 2025-12-31 | +4,190 |
| Ending Real Median Household Income Median annual household income in the United States, adjusted for inflation. | 85,210 4 observations; 2021-12-31 to 2024-12-31 | 87,460 1 observations; 2025-12-31 to 2025-12-31 | +2,250 |
| Inflation | |||
| Cumulative CPI Inflation Price-level change using the prior CPI baseline and final observed CPI. | 21.44% | 6.07% Provisional | −15.37 pp |
| Household Income | |||
| Starting Real Median Household Income Inflation-adjusted annual Census income estimates; not inauguration-day observations. | $83,590 | $85,210 Provisional | +$1,620 |
| Ending Real Median Household Income Inflation-adjusted annual Census income estimates; not inauguration-day observations. | $85,210 | $87,460 Provisional | +$2,250 |
| Change in Real Median Household Income Inflation-adjusted annual Census income estimates; not inauguration-day observations. | $1,620 | $2,250 Provisional | +$630 |
| Household Income Change Inflation-adjusted annual Census income estimates; not inauguration-day observations. | 1.94% | 2.64% Provisional | +0.7 pp |
| Real GDP | |||
| Average Annualized Real GDP Growth Quarterly real GDP growth from BEA, assigned by quarter-end; averages are arithmetic. | 3.28% 16 quarters | 2.16% 6 quarters · Provisional | −1.12 pp |
| Starting Annualized Real GDP Growth Quarterly real GDP growth from BEA, assigned by quarter-end; averages are arithmetic. | 6.19% 16 quarters | 0.14% 6 quarters · Provisional | −6.05 pp |
| Ending Annualized Real GDP Growth Quarterly real GDP growth from BEA, assigned by quarter-end; averages are arithmetic. | 2.4% 16 quarters | 2.22% 6 quarters · Provisional | −0.18 pp |
| Cumulative Real GDP Growth Quarterly real GDP growth from BEA, assigned by quarter-end; averages are arithmetic. | 13.71% 16 quarters | 3.24% 6 quarters · Provisional | −10.47 pp |
| Immigration | |||
| Formal Removals DHS federal fiscal years attributed to the administration serving September 30; transitions are approximate. | 695,390 4/4 fiscal years | N/A 0/2 fiscal years · Provisional | N/A |
| Average Annual Formal Removals DHS federal fiscal years attributed to the administration serving September 30; transitions are approximate. | 173,848 4/4 fiscal years | N/A 0/2 fiscal years · Provisional | N/A |
| Returns DHS federal fiscal years attributed to the administration serving September 30; transitions are approximate. | 1,330,130 4/4 fiscal years | N/A 0/2 fiscal years · Provisional | N/A |
| Lawful Permanent Residents DHS federal fiscal years attributed to the administration serving September 30; transitions are approximate. | 4,295,350 4/4 fiscal years | N/A 0/2 fiscal years · Provisional | N/A |
| Average Annual Lawful Permanent Residents DHS federal fiscal years attributed to the administration serving September 30; transitions are approximate. | 1,073,838 4/4 fiscal years | N/A 0/2 fiscal years · Provisional | N/A |
| Refugee Admissions DHS federal fiscal years attributed to the administration serving September 30; transitions are approximate. | 97,023 3/4 fiscal years | N/A 0/2 fiscal years · Provisional | N/A |
| Average Annual Refugee Admissions DHS federal fiscal years attributed to the administration serving September 30; transitions are approximate. | 32,341 3/4 fiscal years | N/A 0/2 fiscal years · Provisional | N/A |
| Military & National Defense | |||
| Average Annual Defense Outlays (2017 USD) OMB national defense outlays, attributed by federal fiscal year. | $679.57B 4 fiscal years | $697.16B 1 fiscal years · Provisional | +$17.59B |
| Defense Outlays as Share of GDP OMB national defense outlays, attributed by federal fiscal year. | 3.07% 4 fiscal years | 3.02% 1 fiscal years · Provisional | −0.05 pp |
| Defense Outlays as Share of Federal Budget OMB national defense outlays, attributed by federal fiscal year. | 12.4% 4 fiscal years | 13.07% 1 fiscal years · Provisional | +0.67 pp |
| Defense Spending Change OMB national defense outlays, attributed by federal fiscal year. | −0.55% 4 fiscal years | N/A 1 fiscal years · Provisional | N/A |
| Public Opinion | |||
| Average Presidential Approval Gallup historical completed-administration summary. Not comparable to experimental current approval. | 42.2% Gallup whole-presidency published statistics; final rating is the last available pre-departure Gallup poll, not an average. Kennedy has no comparable final pre-departure poll. | N/A | N/A |
| Highest Presidential Approval Gallup historical completed-administration summary. Not comparable to experimental current approval. | 57% Gallup whole-presidency published statistics; final rating is the last available pre-departure Gallup poll, not an average. Kennedy has no comparable final pre-departure poll. | N/A | N/A |
| Lowest Presidential Approval Gallup historical completed-administration summary. Not comparable to experimental current approval. | 36% Gallup whole-presidency published statistics; final rating is the last available pre-departure Gallup poll, not an average. Kennedy has no comparable final pre-departure poll. | N/A | N/A |
| Final Presidential Approval Gallup historical completed-administration summary. Not comparable to experimental current approval. | 40% Gallup whole-presidency published statistics; final rating is the last available pre-departure Gallup poll, not an average. Kennedy has no comparable final pre-departure poll. | N/A | N/A |
| Current Approval (Provisional) Experimental recent multi-pollster approval snapshot, not comparable to historical Gallup whole-administration averages. | N/A | 36.25% Snapshot: 2026-10-24 · Experimental | N/A |
Actual historical observations, not interpolated administration averages. Months are approximate when aligned; quarterly GDP has fewer points.
Each series begins at its first available observation during the administration; x-axis positions measure elapsed time since inauguration. Event markers appear in calendar view.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Chart values are observations; differences do not establish presidential causation.
Differences are calculated as Administration B minus Administration A. For percentage statistics, differences are shown in percentage points (pp), not relative percent changes. A difference does not indicate which president performed better or establish causation.
Missing values are shown as N/A. Coverage may differ across administrations; fiscal-year and quarterly statistics may include transition periods. Provisional or incomplete records are noted beneath the value where available. Historical Gallup approval is not directly comparable to the provisional current approval snapshot.
2021-01-20 – 2025-01-20