Claims on central government, etc. (% GDP) in United States
United States: Claims on central government, etc. (% GDP) was 54.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Claims on central government, etc. in United States, 1960–2025
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, claims on central government, etc. in United States stood at 54.2%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.4% on the previous year and up 53.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, claims on central government, etc. in United States peaked at 61.0% in 2021 and was at its lowest, 12.4%, in 1979.
United States ranks 6th of 187 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Claims on central government, etc. (% GDP) in United States, year by year
| Year | % GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 23.9% | — |
| 1961 | 24.6% | +3.0% |
| 1962 | 23.4% | -4.7% |
| 1963 | 22.5% | -4.1% |
| 1964 | 21.6% | -3.6% |
| 1965 | 20.3% | -6.4% |
| 1966 | 18.7% | -7.7% |
| 1967 | 18.9% | +0.8% |
| 1968 | 18.1% | -3.9% |
| 1969 | 16.0% | -11.6% |
| 1970 | 16.3% | +1.6% |
| 1971 | 15.5% | -4.5% |
| 1972 | 14.5% | -6.4% |
| 1973 | 13.1% | -9.7% |
| 1974 | 12.5% | -4.7% |
| 1975 | 14.5% | +15.8% |
| 1976 | 15.6% | +7.5% |
| 1977 | 14.7% | -5.8% |
| 1978 | 13.2% | -10.0% |
| 1979 | 12.4% | -5.9% |
| 1980 | 13.2% | +6.6% |
| 1981 | 14.0% | +5.6% |
| 1982 | 16.9% | +20.4% |
| 1983 | 18.6% | +10.3% |
| 1984 | 19.3% | +3.8% |
| 1985 | 20.7% | +7.5% |
| 1986 | 23.0% | +10.8% |
| 1987 | 23.4% | +1.9% |
| 1988 | 22.0% | -6.2% |
| 1989 | 21.9% | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 22.6% | +3.2% |
| 1991 | 25.4% | +12.4% |
| 1992 | 27.4% | +7.9% |
| 1993 | 27.9% | +1.9% |
| 1994 | 27.1% | -2.9% |
| 1995 | 27.1% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 24.9% | -7.9% |
| 1997 | 24.4% | -2.2% |
| 1998 | 23.2% | -5.0% |
| 1999 | 21.0% | -9.2% |
| 2000 | 20.2% | -4.1% |
| 2001 | 19.8% | -1.9% |
| 2002 | 21.2% | +7.5% |
| 2003 | 20.7% | -2.6% |
| 2004 | 19.6% | -5.5% |
| 2005 | 18.8% | -3.7% |
| 2006 | 18.6% | -1.0% |
| 2007 | 18.8% | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 18.1% | -4.1% |
| 2009 | 22.2% | +22.8% |
| 2010 | 24.1% | +8.4% |
| 2011 | 32.8% | +36.2% |
| 2012 | 33.2% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 34.1% | +2.8% |
| 2014 | 35.6% | +4.2% |
| 2015 | 35.2% | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 38.0% | +7.8% |
| 2017 | 39.2% | +3.2% |
| 2018 | 38.8% | -1.0% |
| 2019 | 41.0% | +5.6% |
| 2020 | 51.5% | +25.7% |
| 2021 | 61.0% | +18.3% |
| 2022 | 51.0% | -16.3% |
| 2023 | 50.1% | -1.8% |
| 2024 | 51.9% | +3.6% |
| 2025 | 54.2% | +4.4% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 54.2% is above the median for high income countries, which is 11.8%, 4.6× the median. (61 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 20.8% | 16.0% | 24.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 14.2% | 12.4% | 16.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.3% | 13.2% | 23.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 25.1% | 21.0% | 27.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 19.8% | 18.1% | 22.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 35.2% | 24.1% | 41.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.3% | 50.1% | 61.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
More financial sector data for United States
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 17.82 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 89.64 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 12.2 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0007 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 65.46 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 17.82 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 89.64 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 12.2 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is claims on central government, etc. in United States?
- Claims on central government, etc. in United States was 54.2% in 2025, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest claims on central government, etc. recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 61.0% in 2021.
- What is the lowest claims on central government, etc. recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.4% in 1979.
- How does United States rank for claims on central government, etc.?
- United States ranks 6th out of 187 countries with data for 2025.
- Is claims on central government, etc. rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 53.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Claims on central government, etc. (% GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Claims on central government include loans to central government institutions net of deposits. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.