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US Federal Spending Since The Founding

Create and customize your own charts of government spending.

Change: from to
Google Chart or JpGraph or chart.js
or Add data series

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 *
  ? 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 Federal Spending Since The Founding
Fiscal Years 1792 to 2020
YearInflationGDP-US
$ billion 2017
Population-US
million
Total Spending -
$ billion 2017
17922.15MW gdpa4.1730.13a
17933.36MW gdpa4.3000.11a
179412.43MW gdpa4.4320.15a
179515.33MW gdpa4.5670.14a
17965.43MW gdpa4.7070.10a
1797-3.73MW gdpa4.8500.12a
1798-3.4MW gdpa4.9980.15a
17990.05MW gdpa5.1510.19a
18003.02MW gdpa5.3080.20a
18012.12MW gdpa5.4760.18a
1802-15.45MW gdpa5.6480.17a
18036.42MW gdpa5.8260.17a
18045.24MW gdpa6.0100.17a
18050.09MW gdpa6.1990.21a
18065.33MW gdpa6.3950.19a
1807-4.74MW gdpa6.5960.17a
18089.53MW gdpa6.8040.18a
1809-1.38MW gdpa7.0190.19a
1810-2.66MW gdpa7.2400.16a
18114.14MW gdpa7.4500.15a
1812-1.54MW gdpa7.6660.37a
181317.58MW gdpa7.8890.49a
18147.04MW gdpa8.1180.51a
1815-15.02MW gdpa8.3540.56a
1816-11.44MW gdpa8.5960.59a
1817-8.48MW gdpa8.8460.47a
1818-7.75MW gdpa9.1020.47a
1819-3.28MW gdpa9.3670.52a
1820-6.31MW gdpa9.6380.48a
1821-1.87MW gdpa9.9210.42a
18225.89MW gdpa10.2120.38a
1823-9.28MW gdpa10.5110.41a
1824-6.66MW gdpa10.8190.60a
18254.52MW gdpa11.1360.45a
18261.82MW gdpa11.4620.48a
18272.6MW gdpa11.7980.45a
1828-3.4MW gdpa12.1440.48a
1829-0.15MW gdpa12.5000.45a
18300.66MW gdpa12.8660.45a
1831-5.19MW gdpa13.2350.47a
18320.48MW gdpa13.6140.54a
1833-0.47MW gdpa14.0050.72a
18343.55MW gdpa14.4060.57a
18354.68MW gdpa14.8190.52a
18367.36MW gdpa15.2440.80a
18374.13MW gdpa15.6820.95a
1838-1.33MW gdpa16.1310.89a
18391.41MW gdpa16.5940.72a
1840-5.5MW gdpa17.0700.70a
18412.74MW gdpa17.6010.73a
1842-5.28MW gdpa18.1490.74a
1843-8.05MW gdpa18.7140.44a
18442.94MW gdpa19.2960.70a
18452.88MW gdpa19.8970.69a
18462.93MW gdpa20.5160.79a
18479.93MW gdpa21.1541.39a
1848-2.65MW gdpa21.8131.16a
1849-1.72MW gdpa22.4921.17a
18502.09MW gdpa23.1921.04a
1851-2.53MW gdpa23.9091.28a
18521MW gdpa24.6481.21a
1853-0.2MW gdpa25.4091.33a
18548.67MW gdpa26.1951.45a
18552.91MW gdpa27.0041.48a
1856-2.19MW gdpa27.8391.73a
18572.77MW gdpa28.6991.67a
1858-6.14MW gdpa29.5861.95a
18590.88MW gdpa30.5011.88a
1860-1.87MW gdpa31.4431.77a
18614.06MW gdpa32.0911.74a
186213.42MW gdpa32.7539.45a
186324.05MW gdpa33.42811.54a
186422.88MW gdpa34.11711.38a
18651.61MW gdpa34.82016.73a
1866-4.37MW gdpa35.5377.17a
1867-8.99MW gdpa36.2705.53a
1868-6.26MW gdpa37.0176.24a
1869-6.46MW gdpa37.7805.77a
1870-4.36MW gdpa38.5585.80a
1871-6.63MW gdpa39.5885.88a
18720.03MW gdpa40.6465.64a
1873-2.17MW gdpa41.7326.05a
1874-4.92MW gdpa42.8476.66a
1875-3.61MW gdpa43.9916.36a
1876-2.33MW gdpa45.1666.30a
1877-2.41MW gdpa46.3735.94a
1878-4.88MW gdpa47.6126.15a
18790.03MW gdpa48.8836.81a
18802.44MW gdpa50.1896.75a
1881-0.28MW gdpa51.3426.68a
1882-0.26MW gdpa52.5216.65a
1883-1.93MW gdpa53.7267.01a
1884-2.68MW gdpa54.9606.80a
1885-1.95MW gdpa56.2227.39a
1886-3.06MW gdpa57.5137.19a
18870.67MW gdpa58.8337.81a
1888-0.26MW gdpa60.1847.92a
1889-2.96MW gdpa61.5669.09a
1890-0.89MW gdpa62.9809.74a
18911.02MW gdpa64.19211.01a
18921.05MW gdpa65.42810.48a
18930.06MW gdpa66.68811.54a
1894-3.52MW gdpa67.97211.66a
1895-1.11MW gdpa69.28111.54a
18960.95MW gdpa70.61511.42a
1897-0.05MW gdpa71.97411.86a
18981.04MW gdpa73.36013.84a
18990.99MW gdpa74.77317.89a
19002.92MW gdpa76.21215.47a
19012.95MW gdpa77.68015.33a
19022.9MW gdpa79.17613.33a
19034.83MW gdpa80.70113.36i
19042.57MW gdpa82.25513.65i
19050.81MW gdpa83.83914.22i
19063.71MW gdpa85.45314.40i
19076.49MW gdpa87.09914.21i
1908-0.18MW gdpa88.77614.94i
1909-1.49MW gdpa90.48615.89i
19102.63MW gdpa92.22916.25i
1911-0.49MW gdpa93.52317.13i
19124.17MW gdpa94.83617.30i
19130.75MW gdpa96.16718.01a
19140.86MW gdpa97.51618.49i
19153.29MW gdpa98.88518.73i
191614.48MW gdpa100.27316.48i
191722.75MW gdpa101.68029.59i
191818MW gdpa103.107143.50i
19192.49MW gdpa104.554202.44i
192013.78MW gdpa106.02263.97i
1921-14.44MW gdpa107.62660.97i
1922-5.79MW gdpa109.25444.04a
19233.15MW gdpa110.90842.31i
1924-1.28MW gdpa112.58642.31i
19251.82MW gdpa114.29041.05i
19260.5MW gdpa116.01940.34i
1927-2.42MW gdpa117.77540.81a
19280.76MW gdpa119.55742.06i
19290.73MW gdpa121.36643.38i
1930-3.351089.8a123.20346.76i
1931-9.651020a124.07154.14i
1932-10.22888.4a124.94563.70a
1933-2.63877.4a125.82578.28i
19345.97972.3a126.71286.47a
19352.181058.8a127.605107.78i
19361.391195.3a128.504129.19a
19374.551256.5a129.410118.99i
1938-2.711214.9a130.321117.44a
1939-1.161312.4a131.240130.05i
19401.361428.1a132.165139.63a
19417.951681a133.966184.10i
19429.51998.5a135.792427.98a
19435.322338.8a137.643955.56i
19442.532524.8a139.5191130.98a
19452.582500.1a141.4211171.94i
194611.392209.9a143.349646.30a
194710.862184.6a145.303362.37i
19485.862274.6a147.283294.93a
1949-0.172261.9a149.291333.65i
19501.332458.5a151.326367.38a
19517.662656.3a153.917374.71a
19521.82764.8a156.552538.72a
19531.522902.8a159.232593.55a
19540.722880.5a161.958572.36a
19552.013111.4a164.731531.16a
19563.933140.9a167.551528.99a
19573.23237.4a170.420552.17a
19582.043213.9a173.337569.31a
19591.343430.1a176.305611.09a
19601.443515.4a179.323626.82a
19611.043621.3a181.588668.91a
19621.273838.8a183.881673.34a
19630.994023.8a186.204695.09a
19641.874245.9a188.555727.25a
19651.934515.4a190.937712.46a
19663.344788.3a193.348785.97a
19672.834919.4a195.790895.32a
19684.565181.9a198.263970.84a
19695.385334.6a200.766951.11a
19705.025357.1a203.302965.02a
19715.435518.1a205.515984.76a
19724.215814.9a207.7521039.35a
19736.336092.3a210.0131044.02a
19749.436054a212.2991045.32a
19758.86102.3a214.6091186.10a
19765.386404.9a216.9451262.21a
19776.526774.5a219.3071308.59a
19787.817129.9a221.6941365.63a
19798.997300.3a224.1071379.35a
19808.717181.7a226.5461485.72a
19819.827492.4a228.6701558.50a
19825.87300.9a230.8151617.38a
19833.867719.7a232.9791691.51a
19843.818252.5a235.1641721.11a
19853.148604.2a237.3691856.14a
19861.928872.6a239.5951907.08a
19872.759162a241.8421883.23a
19883.969546.2a244.1101923.44a
19893.99919.2a246.3991991.96a
19903.8910090.6a248.7102101.95a
19913.2810080.2a251.8022150.94a
19922.1510449.7a254.9332198.49a
19932.5210688.6a258.1032188.93a
19942.1911152.2a261.3122223.64a
19952.1311450.3a264.5612258.94a
19961.7811914.1a267.8502286.41a
19971.8612471a271.1802304.98a
19981.1912982.8a274.5522352.08a
19991.4113604.8a277.9662390.23a
20002.5514145.3a282.1722452.49a
20012.2214214.5a285.0822498.54a
20021.514519.6a287.8042658.17a
20032.0714988.8a290.3262798.92a
20042.8915512.6a293.0462890.45a
20053.3616047.6a295.7533018.35a
20063.2116420.7a298.5933143.27a
20072.6316809.6a301.5803149.40a
20082.0316854.3a304.3753373.96a
20090.1116326.3a307.0073974.75a
20101.4516872.3a309.3273852.23a
20112.417031.3a311.5833921.65a
20121.7217469.7a313.8783775.11a
20131.6517860.5a316.0603639.65a
20141.9618406.9a318.3863624.97a
20150.9118857.4a320.7393783.30a
20160.8619197.9a323.0723914.88a
20171.8219660.8a325.1223975.20a
20182.4920276.2a326.8384005.76a
20191.6220843.3a328.3304268.00a
20201.2620548.8a331.5786210.35a

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 2020:
GDP, GO: GDP, GO Sources
Federal: Fed. Budget: Hist. Tables 3.2, 5.1, 7.1
State and Local: State and Local Gov. Finances
'Guesstimated' by projecting the latest change in reported spending forward to future years

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Suggested Video: Spending 101

Top Spending Requests:

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US BUDGET overview and pie chart.

Find NATIONAL DEBT today.

DOWNLOAD spending data or debt data.

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:  $37,506,453,566,221.20
Debt 2/2020:$23,409,959,150,243.63

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Data Sources for 1792_2020:

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

Sources for 2020:

GDP, GO: GDP, GO Sources
Federal: Fed. Budget: Hist. Tables 3.2, 5.1, 7.1
State and Local: State and Local Gov. Finances
'Guesstimated' by projecting the latest change in reported spending forward to future years

> data sources for other years
> data update schedule.

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 ...

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usgovernmentspending.com was designed and executed by:

Christopher Chantrill.

Email here.


presented by Christopher Chantrill

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