−5.8%
2025 (latest)
FEDERAL DEFICIT
percent of GDP (negative = deficit) · 1930–2025 · higher is better · FRED FYFSGDA188S
+0.8%
1930
+4.3%
high · 1948
−26.9%
low · 1943
−6.6 pts
since 1930
┊ dashed lines mark 1979 Oil shock & inflation peak · 1987 Black Monday crash · 1991 Gulf War recession · 2001 Dot-com bust & 9/11 · 2008 Global financial crisis · 2020 COVID-19 pandemic
Method & caveats. Federal surplus or deficit as a percent of GDP; negative values are deficits.
Sources
Every value on this page is read from the publisher below. Current and historical source documents:
- https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FYFSGDA188S
- https://github.com/danielmiessler/substrate/tree/main/Data/US-Long-Run-Indicators
Data
| Year | Federal Deficit | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | −5.8% | +0.4 pts |
| 2024 | −6.2% | −0.1 pts |
| 2023 | −6.1% | −0.8 pts |
| 2022 | −5.3% | +6.4 pts |
| 2021 | −11.7% | +2.8 pts |
| 2020 | −14.5% | −9.9 pts |
| 2019 | −4.6% | −0.8 pts |
| 2018 | −3.8% | −0.4 pts |
| 2017 | −3.4% | −0.3 pts |
| 2016 | −3.1% | −0.7 pts |
| 2015 | −2.4% | +0.4 pts |
| 2014 | −2.8% | +1.2 pts |
| 2013 | −4.0% | +2.6 pts |
| 2012 | −6.6% | +1.7 pts |
| 2011 | −8.3% | +0.3 pts |
| 2010 | −8.6% | +1.2 pts |
| 2009 | −9.8% | −6.7 pts |
| 2008 | −3.1% | −2.0 pts |
| 2007 | −1.1% | +0.7 pts |
| 2006 | −1.8% | +0.6 pts |
| 2005 | −2.4% | +1.0 pts |
| 2004 | −3.4% | −0.1 pts |
| 2003 | −3.3% | −1.9 pts |
| 2002 | −1.4% | −2.6 pts |
| 2001 | +1.2% | −1.1 pts |
| 2000 | +2.3% | +1.0 pts |
| 1999 | +1.3% | +0.5 pts |
| 1998 | +0.8% | +1.1 pts |
| 1997 | −0.3% | +1.0 pts |
| 1996 | −1.3% | +0.8 pts |
| 1995 | −2.1% | +0.7 pts |
| 1994 | −2.8% | +0.9 pts |
| 1993 | −3.7% | +0.8 pts |
| 1992 | −4.5% | −0.1 pts |
| 1991 | −4.4% | −0.7 pts |
| 1990 | −3.7% | −1.0 pts |
| 1989 | −2.7% | +0.3 pts |
| 1988 | −3.0% | +0.1 pts |
| 1987 | −3.1% | +1.7 pts |
| 1986 | −4.8% | +0.1 pts |
| 1985 | −4.9% | −0.3 pts |
| 1984 | −4.6% | +1.1 pts |
| 1983 | −5.7% | −1.9 pts |
| 1982 | −3.8% | −1.3 pts |
| 1981 | −2.5% | +0.1 pts |
| 1980 | −2.6% | −1.0 pts |
| 1979 | −1.6% | +0.9 pts |
| 1978 | −2.5% | +0.1 pts |
| 1977 | −2.6% | +1.3 pts |
| 1976 | −3.9% | −0.7 pts |
| 1975 | −3.2% | −2.8 pts |
| 1974 | −0.4% | +0.6 pts |
| 1973 | −1.0% | +0.8 pts |
| 1972 | −1.8% | +0.2 pts |
| 1971 | −2.0% | −1.7 pts |
| 1970 | −0.3% | −0.6 pts |
| 1969 | +0.3% | +3.0 pts |
| 1968 | −2.7% | −1.7 pts |
| 1967 | −1.0% | −0.5 pts |
| 1966 | −0.5% | −0.3 pts |
| 1965 | −0.2% | +0.7 pts |
| 1964 | −0.9% | −0.2 pts |
| 1963 | −0.7% | +0.5 pts |
| 1962 | −1.2% | −0.6 pts |
| 1961 | −0.6% | −0.7 pts |
| 1960 | +0.1% | +2.6 pts |
| 1959 | −2.5% | −1.9 pts |
| 1958 | −0.6% | −1.3 pts |
| 1957 | +0.7% | −0.2 pts |
| 1956 | +0.9% | +1.6 pts |
| 1955 | −0.7% | −0.4 pts |
| 1954 | −0.3% | +1.4 pts |
| 1953 | −1.7% | −1.3 pts |
| 1952 | −0.4% | −2.2 pts |
| 1951 | +1.8% | +2.8 pts |
| 1950 | −1.0% | −1.2 pts |
| 1949 | +0.2% | −4.1 pts |
| 1948 | +4.3% | +2.7 pts |
| 1947 | +1.6% | +8.6 pts |
| 1946 | −7.0% | +14 pts |
| 1945 | −20.9% | +0.3 pts |
| 1944 | −21.2% | +5.7 pts |
| 1943 | −26.9% | −14 pts |
| 1942 | −12.4% | −8.6 pts |
| 1941 | −3.8% | −1.0 pts |
| 1940 | −2.8% | +0.2 pts |
| 1939 | −3.0% | −2.9 pts |
| 1938 | −0.1% | +2.3 pts |
| 1937 | −2.4% | +2.7 pts |
| 1936 | −5.1% | −1.3 pts |
| 1935 | −3.8% | +1.6 pts |
| 1934 | −5.4% | −0.8 pts |
| 1933 | −4.6% | +0.0 pts |
| 1932 | −4.6% | −4.0 pts |
| 1931 | −0.6% | −1.4 pts |
| 1930 | +0.8% | — |
Also in Government & Democracy