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US Government Spending History

Create and customize your own charts of government spending.

Use the controls below to CUSTOMIZE chart or CHANGE the data series

Hover mouse over dropdown controls for help. Remember, you can display a maximum of five data series at once.

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Spending Units: By default, government spending is displayed in billions of dollars. But using a dropdown control in the table heading you can select billions of 2017 dollars, percent of GDP, 2017 dollars per capita, percent of federal spending, or percent of total spending.
Chart Title: You can create a title for your chart. Use the text field to enter a title and click the button to the right of the text field.
US or State: By default, the chart shows overall United States government spending. But you can select spending for individual states by selecting the state dropdown control in the table heading.
State, Local: By default, you can chart state spending or local spending by clicking a radio button in the selection table. But you can chart state-and-local combined by selecting state n local in the state/local dropdown control in the table heading.
View: There are many ways to view the spending data. The default view is functional. There is a census view that conforms with the spending categories used by the US Census Bureau in its Statistical Abstract. There is a COFOG view that categorizes spending using the UN methodology.
Linear/Log: By default, the data series are displayed as linear charts. But you can also select a log chart. Linear charts show constant amount changes as a straight line; Log charts show constant rates of change as a straight line.
Line/Bar: By default, the data series are displayed as line charts. But you can also select a bar chart.
Data Stack: By default, the data series are “stacked” when displayed on the chart. But you can change the setting to “un stack” the data series.
Chart Size: By default, the chart is displayed at medium size. But you can use the dropdown control to change the size.
Color: By default charts are displayed with color data lines and fill. You can change this to grayscale if you want. Or display a chart using Google API or chart.js API.
US Budget Year: By default, the chart displays budgeted and estimated federal spending in the current US Budget submitted to the Congress by the president. But you can look at previous budgeted numbers using this dropdown control.
Mandatory: By default the chart shows all spending without regard to mandatory or discretionary. Select Mandatory if you want to chart only federal Mandatory spending, Discretionary if you want to chart only federal Discretionary spending, Both if you want both federal Mandatory and Discretionary spending broken out using the dropdown control in the table heading.

Data Range

Start Year: You can select any start year you want using the dropdown control in the table heading. At the top and bottom of the dropdown only years ending in “0” are shown. Select a start year to get close, then select the start year you want.
End Year: You can select any end year you want using the dropdown control in the table heading. At the top and bottom of the dropdown only years ending in “0” are shown. Select an end year to get close, then select the end year you want.
Category (max 7)Sub-categoryFed Gov. 
Xfer 
State Local Total   
 
Data Series: Select a spending series you want to chart from a dropdown on the left. If you select on the bottom dropdown you will add a data series (up to a maximum of five). The right-hand dropdown allows you to replace a data series with a more narrowly focused series. Click the “X” link to remove a data series from the chart.
? Total Spending: Federal: total outlays including grants to state and local. State and local: direct spending on programs
  ? Total Spending: Federal: total outlays including grants to state and local. State and local: direct spending on programs
  ? Total Spending: Federal: total outlays including grants to state and local. State and local: direct spending on programs
  ? Total Spending: Federal: total outlays including grants to state and local. State and local: direct spending on programs
  ? Total Spending: Federal: total outlays including grants to state and local. State and local: direct spending on programs
  ? Select data series to add to chart
 All Categories

If you’d like to create your own custom chart of spending data you should use the table above to make your selections.

  • Select the year range: Select the start year and the end year you want by selecting the years you want in the two year dropdown boxes.
  • Select spending items: Just select the spending item you want from the dropdown control. Then click a radio button to select the level of government: federal, state, or local. If you select from the < select > you will add another data series to your chart. Up to 5 data series are allowed at once. Click the “X” link to remove a data series from the chart.
  • Select units: You can select the display in billions of nominal (i.e. inflated) dollars, billions of real (i.e. year 2017) dollars, or as percent of GDP.
  • Choose chart features: You can select the size of the chart, switch from bar chart to line chart, select color or black and white, stacked or not. You can also blow up the chart to fill the screen with the “full screen” tab control above the chart display.

Download Data

Download Tab-delimited Data

Copy and Paste: To copy and paste data into spreadsheet for analysis, just copy the tab-delimited text in the textbox below (click cursor in text box, then press ctrl-A then press ctrl-C) and paste it into your spreadsheet.

View Data Series

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Below is a formatted version of the data displayed in the chart.

US Government Spending History
Fiscal Years 1792 to 2015
YearInflationGDP-US
$ billion nominal
Population-US
million
Total Spending -
percent GDP
Total Spending -
percent GDP
Total Spending -
percent GDP
Total Spending -
percent GDP
17922.15MW gdpa4.1730.002.23a0.000.00
17933.36MW gdpa4.3000.001.78a0.000.00
179412.43MW gdpa4.4320.002.21a0.000.00
179515.33MW gdpa4.5670.001.96a0.000.00
17965.43MW gdpa4.7070.001.39a0.000.00
1797-3.73MW gdpa4.8500.001.51a0.000.00
1798-3.4MW gdpa4.9980.001.88a0.000.00
17990.05MW gdpa5.1510.002.20a0.000.00
18003.02MW gdpa5.3080.002.26a0.000.00
18012.12MW gdpa5.4760.001.86a0.000.00
1802-15.45MW gdpa5.6480.001.79a0.000.00
18036.42MW gdpa5.8260.001.66a0.000.00
18045.24MW gdpa6.0100.001.68a0.000.00
18050.09MW gdpa6.1990.001.92a0.000.00
18065.33MW gdpa6.3950.001.64a0.000.00
1807-4.74MW gdpa6.5960.001.48a0.000.00
18089.53MW gdpa6.8040.001.59a0.000.00
1809-1.38MW gdpa7.0190.001.55a0.000.00
1810-2.66MW gdpa7.2400.001.21a0.000.00
18114.14MW gdpa7.4500.001.10a0.000.00
1812-1.54MW gdpa7.6660.002.62a0.000.00
181317.58MW gdpa7.8890.003.30a0.000.00
18147.04MW gdpa8.1180.003.25a0.000.00
1815-15.02MW gdpa8.3540.003.58a0.000.00
1816-11.44MW gdpa8.5960.003.79a0.000.00
1817-8.48MW gdpa8.8460.002.93a0.000.00
1818-7.75MW gdpa9.1020.002.80a0.000.00
1819-3.28MW gdpa9.3670.003.07a0.000.00
1820-6.31MW gdpa9.6380.002.71a0.14e0.97e
1821-1.87MW gdpa9.9210.002.29a0.13e1.08e
18225.89MW gdpa10.2120.001.98a0.12e0.98e
1823-9.28MW gdpa10.5110.002.07a0.13e1.17e
1824-6.66MW gdpa10.8190.002.82a0.13e1.31e
18254.52MW gdpa11.1360.002.05a0.24e1.20e
18261.82MW gdpa11.4620.002.11a0.23e1.26e
18272.6MW gdpa11.7980.001.90a0.22e1.30e
1828-3.4MW gdpa12.1440.001.99a0.22e1.32e
1829-0.15MW gdpa12.5000.001.81a0.21e1.38e
18300.66MW gdpa12.8660.001.65a0.19e1.36e
1831-5.19MW gdpa13.2350.001.61a0.19e1.41e
18320.48MW gdpa13.6140.001.71a0.26e1.49e
1833-0.47MW gdpa14.0050.002.21a0.26e1.54e
18343.55MW gdpa14.4060.001.75a0.24e1.62e
18354.68MW gdpa14.8190.001.50a0.22e1.62e
18367.36MW gdpa15.2440.002.25a0.27e1.60e
18374.13MW gdpa15.6820.002.64a0.25e1.65e
1838-1.33MW gdpa16.1310.002.37a0.25e1.73e
18391.41MW gdpa16.5940.001.87a0.30e1.84e
1840-5.5MW gdpa17.0700.001.83a0.31e2.14e
18412.74MW gdpa17.6010.001.85a0.30e2.03e
1842-5.28MW gdpa18.1490.001.81a0.30e2.13e
1843-8.05MW gdpa18.7140.001.02a0.31e2.19e
18442.94MW gdpa19.2960.001.53a0.29e2.07e
18452.88MW gdpa19.8970.001.44a0.26e1.90e
18462.93MW gdpa20.5160.001.51a0.24e1.75e
18479.93MW gdpa21.1540.002.47a0.24e1.49e
1848-2.65MW gdpa21.8130.001.99a0.24e1.52e
1849-1.72MW gdpa22.4920.001.99a0.24e1.53e
18502.09MW gdpa23.1920.001.69a0.23e1.47e
1851-2.53MW gdpa23.9090.001.93a0.21e1.50e
18521MW gdpa24.6480.001.63a0.22e1.46e
1853-0.2MW gdpa25.4090.001.66a0.21e1.45e
18548.67MW gdpa26.1950.001.76a0.21e1.43e
18552.91MW gdpa27.0040.001.72a0.22e1.43e
1856-2.19MW gdpa27.8390.001.95a0.22e1.54e
18572.77MW gdpa28.6990.001.87a0.24e1.60e
1858-6.14MW gdpa29.5860.002.09a0.26e1.78e
18590.88MW gdpa30.5010.001.90a0.27e1.79e
1860-1.87MW gdpa31.4430.001.77a0.29e1.97e
18614.06MW gdpa32.0910.001.72a0.30e2.08e
186213.42MW gdpa32.7530.008.26a0.27e1.82e
186324.05MW gdpa33.4280.009.37a0.23e1.54e
186422.88MW gdpa34.1170.009.15a0.21e1.38e
18651.61MW gdpa34.8200.0013.10a0.22e1.47e
1866-4.37MW gdpa35.5370.005.89a0.26e1.79e
1867-8.99MW gdpa36.2700.004.45a0.32e2.14e
1868-6.26MW gdpa37.0170.004.84a0.36e2.42e
1869-6.46MW gdpa37.7800.004.33a0.41e2.77e
1870-4.36MW gdpa38.5580.004.22a0.46e3.13e
1871-6.63MW gdpa39.5880.004.08a0.48e3.23e
18720.03MW gdpa40.6460.003.62a0.44e3.01e
1873-2.17MW gdpa41.7320.003.57a0.43e2.86e
1874-4.92MW gdpa42.8470.003.87a0.44e2.99e
1875-3.61MW gdpa43.9910.003.70a0.47e3.14e
1876-2.33MW gdpa45.1660.003.52a0.46e3.14e
1877-2.41MW gdpa46.3730.003.16a0.46e3.09e
1878-4.88MW gdpa47.6120.003.17a0.47e3.18e
18790.03MW gdpa48.8830.003.14a0.43e2.89e
18802.44MW gdpa50.1890.002.87a0.39e2.63e
1881-0.28MW gdpa51.3420.002.52a0.37e2.48e
1882-0.26MW gdpa52.5210.002.38a0.37e2.49e
1883-1.93MW gdpa53.7260.002.44a0.39e2.61e
1884-2.68MW gdpa54.9600.002.41a0.42e2.88e
1885-1.95MW gdpa56.2220.002.60a0.45e3.09e
1886-3.06MW gdpa57.5130.002.34a0.46e3.11e
18870.67MW gdpa58.8330.002.37a0.45e3.04e
1888-0.26MW gdpa60.1840.002.26a0.45e3.04e
1889-2.96MW gdpa61.5660.002.52a0.47e3.22e
1890-0.89MW gdpa62.9800.002.46a0.46a3.13a
18911.02MW gdpa64.1920.002.75a0.48i3.24i
18921.05MW gdpa65.4280.002.49a0.47i3.23i
18930.06MW gdpa66.6880.002.92a0.53i3.63i
1894-3.52MW gdpa67.9720.003.10a0.61i4.18i
1895-1.11MW gdpa69.2810.002.75a0.58i4.02i
18960.95MW gdpa70.6150.002.77a0.62i4.28i
1897-0.05MW gdpa71.9740.002.76a0.62i4.34i
18981.04MW gdpa73.3600.002.90a0.59i4.10i
18990.99MW gdpa74.7730.003.51a0.58i4.03i
19002.92MW gdpa76.2120.002.97a0.58i4.04i
19012.95MW gdpa77.6800.002.79a0.56i3.96i
19022.9MW gdpa79.176-0.03a2.31a0.55a3.87a
19034.83MW gdpa80.701-0.03i2.25i0.55i3.84i
19042.57MW gdpa82.255-0.03i2.39i0.60i4.14i
19050.81MW gdpa83.839-0.03i2.24i0.57i3.95i
19063.71MW gdpa85.453-0.03i2.18i0.57i3.91i
19076.49MW gdpa87.099-0.03i2.10i0.56i3.83i
1908-0.18MW gdpa88.776-0.03i2.48i0.68i4.60i
1909-1.49MW gdpa90.486-0.03i2.46i0.69i4.64i
19102.63MW gdpa92.229-0.03i2.49i0.71i4.78i
1911-0.49MW gdpa93.523-0.03i2.54i0.74i4.96i
19124.17MW gdpa94.836-0.03i2.45i0.73i4.87i
19130.75MW gdpa96.167-0.03a2.45a0.75a4.96a
19140.86MW gdpa97.516-0.04i2.73i0.93i5.85i
19153.29MW gdpa98.885-0.05i2.69i1.01i6.06i
191614.48MW gdpa100.273-0.04i2.08i0.91i5.18i
191722.75MW gdpa101.680-0.04i3.83i0.88i4.74i
191818MW gdpa103.107-0.04i17.03i0.80i4.10i
19192.49MW gdpa104.554-0.05i23.84i0.89i4.36i
192013.78MW gdpa106.022-0.06i7.60i0.91i4.24i
1921-14.44MW gdpa107.626-0.11i7.42i1.26i5.59i
1922-5.79MW gdpa109.254-0.16a5.08a1.46a6.16a
19233.15MW gdpa110.908-0.14i4.31i1.33i5.66i
1924-1.28MW gdpa112.586-0.14i4.18i1.39i5.94i
19251.82MW gdpa114.290-0.13i3.96i1.41i6.09i
19260.5MW gdpa116.019-0.12i3.66i1.40i6.08i
1927-2.42MW gdpa117.775-0.13a3.66a1.50a6.59a
19280.76MW gdpa119.557-0.14i3.73i1.58i6.47i
19290.73MW gdpa121.366-0.15i3.64i1.59i6.09i
1930-3.3592.2a123.203-0.19i4.29i1.92i6.91i
1931-9.6577.4a124.071-0.26i5.31i2.45i8.23i
1932-10.2259.5a124.945-0.39a7.17a3.41a10.71a
1933-2.6357.2a125.825-1.06i8.92i3.65i10.55i
19345.9766.8a126.712-1.46a8.89a3.21a8.53a
19352.1874.2a127.605-1.27i10.18i3.09i7.92i
19361.3984.8a128.504-1.07a10.81a2.88a7.14a
19374.5593a129.410-0.90i9.47i2.97i6.97i
1938-2.7187.4a130.321-0.87a9.67a3.53a7.90a
1939-1.1693.4a131.240-0.88i9.91i3.55i7.81i
19401.36102.9a132.165-0.86a9.78a3.45a7.47a
19417.95129.3a133.966-0.68i10.95i2.75i5.81i
19429.5166a135.792-0.53a21.42a2.15a4.43a
19435.32203.1a137.643-0.48i40.86i1.69i3.58i
19442.53224.4a139.519-0.48a44.80a1.48a3.20a
19452.58228a141.421-0.43i46.88i1.82i3.57i
194611.39227.5a143.349-0.39a29.25a2.19a4.00a
194710.86249.6a145.303-0.53i16.59i2.58i4.50i
19485.86274.5a147.283-0.65a12.97a2.88a4.87a
1949-0.17272.5a149.291-0.76i14.75i3.44i5.58i
19501.33299.8a151.326-0.79a14.94a3.62a5.68a
19517.66346.9a153.917-0.69a14.11a3.12i5.35i
19521.8367.3a156.552-0.69a19.48a2.94a5.47a
19531.52391.2a159.232-0.73a20.45a2.93a5.49a
19540.72391a161.958-0.76a19.87a3.33a6.04a
19552.01430.2a164.731-0.72a17.07a3.34a6.04a
19563.93451.2a167.551-0.74a16.84a3.36a6.21a
19573.2479.5a170.420-0.81a17.06a3.50a6.41a
19582.04485.8a173.337-1.04a17.71a4.12a6.94a
19591.34525a176.305-1.21a17.82a4.27a6.88a
19601.44545.6a179.323-1.28a17.83a4.06a7.12a
19611.04567.7a181.588-1.24a18.47a4.33a7.48a
19621.27609a183.881-1.29i17.54a4.19a7.40a
19630.99644.4a186.204-1.34i17.27a4.30a7.29a
19641.87692a188.555-1.45i17.13a4.28a7.36a
19651.93749.3a190.937-1.47i15.78a4.20a7.37a
19663.34819.6a193.348-1.61i16.41a4.17a7.41a
19672.83865.2a195.790-1.78i18.20a4.59a7.66a
19684.56950.8a198.263-1.81i18.74a4.66a7.57a
19695.381030a200.766-1.86i17.83a4.80a7.98a
19705.021086.1a203.302-2.01i18.01a5.17a8.46a
19715.431177.7a205.515-2.22i17.85a5.62a8.88a
19724.211290.6a207.752-2.42i17.87a5.62a9.01a
19736.331433.8a210.013-2.74i17.14a5.44a8.88a
19749.431560a212.299-2.68i17.27a5.53a8.94a
19758.81709.8a214.609-2.75i19.44a6.09a9.42a
19765.381886.6a216.945-2.95i19.71a6.58a9.54a
19776.522118.5a219.307-2.95i19.32a6.08a9.18a
19787.812395.1a221.694-2.91i19.15a5.70a8.72a
19798.992667.6a224.107-2.82i18.89a5.57a8.69a
19808.712856.5a226.546-2.91i20.69a6.07a9.07a
19819.823260.6a228.670-2.77i20.80a6.08a8.80a
19825.83366.3a230.815-2.59i22.15a6.28a9.25a
19833.863689.2a232.979-2.44i21.91a6.31a9.00a
19843.814084.3a235.164-2.37i20.86a5.94a8.71a
19853.144386.8a237.369-2.42i21.57a6.14a8.82a
19861.924607.7a239.595-2.45i21.49a6.34a9.18a
19872.754884.6a241.842-2.35i20.55a6.44a9.42a
19883.965282.8a244.110-2.23i20.15a6.30a9.30a
19893.95695.4a246.399-2.23i20.08a6.31a9.28a
19903.896015.1a248.710-2.37i20.83a6.60a9.57a
19913.286205.9a251.802-2.58i21.34a7.13a9.95a
19922.156566.6a254.933-2.71a21.04a7.60a9.86a
19932.526882.1a258.103-2.81a20.48a7.69a9.89a
19942.197331.1a261.312-2.87a19.94a7.51a9.69a
19952.137683.1a264.561-2.93a19.73a7.76a9.78a
19961.788131.4a267.850-2.80a19.19a7.47a9.67a
19971.868662.8a271.180-2.70a18.48a7.26a9.56a
19981.199121.1a274.552-2.70a18.12a7.14a9.59a
19991.419686.6a277.966-2.77a17.57a7.16a9.59a
20002.5510318.2a282.172-2.77a17.34a7.34a9.55a
20012.2210598a285.082-3.01a17.58a7.87a9.95i
20021.510984a287.804-3.21a18.31a8.36a10.28a
20032.0711566.7a290.326-3.36a18.67a8.45a10.24i
20042.8912305.3a293.046-3.31a18.63a8.26a10.12a
20053.3613142.6a295.753-3.26a18.81a8.12a9.87a
20063.2113870.2a298.593-3.13a19.14a8.09a9.90a
20072.6314564.1a301.580-3.05a18.74a8.09a10.19a
20082.0314899a304.375-3.10a20.02a8.45a10.57a
20090.1114448.9a307.007-3.72a24.35a9.29a11.40a
20101.4515141.6a309.327-4.02a22.83a9.63a10.92a
20112.415647.7a311.583-3.88a23.03a9.64a10.52a
20121.7216319.5a313.878-3.34a21.61a9.21a10.11a
20131.6516953.8a316.060-3.22a20.38a9.00a9.80a
20141.9617804.2a318.386-3.24a19.69a8.84a9.62a
20150.9118401.6a320.739-3.39a20.06a8.91a9.58a

Legend:
a - actual reported
e - estimated by usgovernmentspending.com
i - interpolated between actual reported values

Data Sources for 1792:
GDP: Samuel H. Williamson, "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?" MeasuringWorth, 2015.
Federal: Bicentennial Edition: Historical Statistics of the US, Colonial Times to 1970
State and Local: not available

Data Sources for 2015:
GDP, GO: GDP, GO Sources
Federal: Fed. Budget: Hist. Tables 3.2, 5.1, 7.1
State and Local: State and Local Gov. Finances

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See FEDERAL BUDGET breakdown and estimated vs. actual.

MILITARY SPENDING details, budget and history.

ENTITLEMENT SPENDING history.

See BAR CHARTS of spending, debt.

Check STATE spending: CA NY TX FL and compare.

See SPENDING ANALYSIS briefing.

See SPENDING HISTORY briefing.

Take a COURSE at Spending 101.

Make your own CUSTOM CHART.

Spending Data Sources

Spending data is from official government sources.

Gross Domestic Product data comes from US Bureau of Economic Analysis and measuringworth.com.

Detailed table of spending data sources here.
Medicare breakdown here; Medicaid breakdown here.

Federal spending data begins in 1792.

State and local spending data begins in 1820.

State and local spending data for individual states begins in 1957.

Gross Federal Debt

Debt Now:  $37,470,833,295,098.68
Debt 2/2020:$23,409,959,150,243.63

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Blog

State and Local Finances for 2023

On September 11, 2025 we updated the state and local spending and revenue for FY 2023 using the new Census Bureau State and Local Government Finances summaries for FY 2023 released on July 31, 2025.  (See also Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances). The release includes state and local spending for the United States as a whole and the 50 individual states and the District of Columbia.

State and local spending and revenue for FY2023 are now actual historical spending as reported by the Census Bureau. In addition, the Census Bureau published updated tables for 2021 and 2022.

We have updated the "guesstimated" state and local finances for FY2024-30 as indicated in our "guesstimate" blog entries.

We have also updated data for individual local government units with data for 2023. 

Beginning in 2022 the Census Bureau has changed the value for Line 56 Direct Expenditure and Line 7 General Revenue from own sources, as follows:

We have decided to end our publication of non-insurance trust cash and security holdings.

However, to keep the time series at usgovernmentspending.com consistent, we have decided to add insurance-trust values back into Line 56 and Line 7 values. 

State Spending for 2023
In March 2025 the US Census Bureau released data on state finances for FY 2023 here and  ...

Agency Debt Update for 2024
On June 24, 2025, usgovernmentspending.com updated its data for agency debt from the Federal Reserve Board database. Data is now available for the period 1945-2024. You can see our Agency Debt page ...

> blog

Spend Links

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usgovernmentspending.com was designed and executed by:

Christopher Chantrill.

Email here.


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