Discount Rate, Percent per annum in United States
United States: Discount Rate, Percent per annum was 0.25 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Discount Rate, Percent per annum in United States, 1950–2020
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
United States recorded 0.25 for discount rate, percent per annum in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 71 years on record.
That represents a change of down 88.9% on the previous year and down 66.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, discount rate, percent per annum in United States peaked at 12.87 in 1980 and was at its lowest, 0.25, in 2020.
United States ranks 70th of 70 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Discount Rate, Percent per annum in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.75 | — |
| 1951 | 1.75 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 1.75 | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 2 | +14.3% |
| 1954 | 1.5 | -25.0% |
| 1955 | 2.5 | +66.7% |
| 1956 | 3 | +20.0% |
| 1957 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 2.5 | -16.7% |
| 1959 | 4 | +60.0% |
| 1960 | 3 | -25.0% |
| 1961 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 3.5 | +16.7% |
| 1964 | 4 | +14.3% |
| 1965 | 4.42 | +10.5% |
| 1966 | 4.5 | +1.8% |
| 1967 | 4.5 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 5.36 | +19.1% |
| 1969 | 6 | +11.9% |
| 1970 | 5.52 | -8.0% |
| 1971 | 4.63 | -16.1% |
| 1972 | 4.5 | -2.8% |
| 1973 | 7.5 | +66.7% |
| 1974 | 7.81 | +4.1% |
| 1975 | 6 | -23.2% |
| 1976 | 5.25 | -12.5% |
| 1977 | 6 | +14.3% |
| 1978 | 9.5 | +58.3% |
| 1979 | 12 | +26.3% |
| 1980 | 12.87 | +7.2% |
| 1981 | 12.1 | -6.0% |
| 1982 | 8.73 | -27.9% |
| 1983 | 8.5 | -2.6% |
| 1984 | 8.37 | -1.5% |
| 1985 | 7.5 | -10.4% |
| 1986 | 5.5 | -26.7% |
| 1987 | 6 | +9.1% |
| 1988 | 6.5 | +8.3% |
| 1989 | 7 | +7.7% |
| 1990 | 6.79 | -3.0% |
| 1991 | 4.11 | -39.5% |
| 1992 | 3 | -27.0% |
| 1993 | 3 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 4.75 | +58.3% |
| 1995 | 5.25 | +10.5% |
| 1996 | 5 | -4.8% |
| 1997 | 5 | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 4.5 | -10.0% |
| 1999 | 5 | +11.1% |
| 2000 | 6 | +20.0% |
| 2001 | 1.33 | -77.8% |
| 2002 | 0.75 | -43.6% |
| 2003 | 2 | +166.7% |
| 2004 | 3.25 | +62.5% |
| 2005 | 5.25 | +61.5% |
| 2006 | 6.25 | +19.0% |
| 2007 | 4.75 | -24.0% |
| 2008 | 0.5 | -89.5% |
| 2009 | 0.5 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.75 | +50.0% |
| 2011 | 0.75 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.75 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 0.75 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 0.75 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 1 | +33.3% |
| 2016 | 1.25 | +25.0% |
| 2017 | 2 | +60.0% |
| 2018 | 3 | +50.0% |
| 2019 | 2.25 | -25.0% |
| 2020 | 0.25 | -88.9% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 0.25 is below the median for high income countries, which is 3.35, 7% of the median. (15 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Discount Rate, Percent per annum in United States changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | +166.7% | 0.75 | 2 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 2.38 | 1.5 | 4 | 10 |
| 1960s | 4.13 | 3 | 6 | 10 |
| 1970s | 6.87 | 4.5 | 12 | 10 |
| 1980s | 8.31 | 5.5 | 12.87 | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.64 | 3 | 6.79 | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.06 | 0.5 | 6.25 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.32 | 0.75 | 3 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.25 | 0.25 | 0.25 | 1 |
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 discount rate, percent per annum in United States?
- Discount rate, percent per annum in United States was 0.25 in 2020, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest discount rate, percent per annum recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 12.87 in 1980.
- What is the lowest discount rate, percent per annum recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.25 in 2020.
- How does United States rank for discount rate, percent per annum?
- United States ranks 70th out of 70 countries with data for 2020.
- Is discount rate, percent per annum rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 66.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Discount Rate, Percent per annum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The Monetary and Financial Statistics (MFS), Interest Rates dataset presents country-specific interest rate data across sectors and instruments, based on nationally defined methodologies.