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Retail Sales under every president, month by month

At month 21 in office, Trump II is at +8.4% since taking office: #3 of 6 administrations (average +9.3%). Official Census Bureau data.

-11.9%+6.9%+25.8%Month 1Month 13Month 25Month 37Month 48Clinton, month 1: 0.0%Clinton, month 4: +1.5%Clinton, month 7: +3.7%Clinton, month 10: +4.8%Clinton, month 13: +6.0%Clinton, month 16: +10.0%Clinton, month 19: +10.9%Clinton, month 22: +14.4%Clinton, month 25: +15.6%Clinton, month 28: +15.2%Clinton, month 31: +17.5%Clinton, month 34: +18.3%Clinton, month 37: +20.2%Clinton, month 40: +23.5%Clinton, month 43: +24.4%Clinton, month 46: +27.2%Clinton, month 48: +27.3%ClintonBush 43, month 1: 0.0%Bush 43, month 4: +0.6%Bush 43, month 7: +0.1%Bush 43, month 10: +5.8%Bush 43, month 13: +1.6%Bush 43, month 16: +3.0%Bush 43, month 19: +4.1%Bush 43, month 22: +3.7%Bush 43, month 25: +5.8%Bush 43, month 28: +5.9%Bush 43, month 31: +8.5%Bush 43, month 34: +9.3%Bush 43, month 37: +10.7%Bush 43, month 40: +12.6%Bush 43, month 43: +14.2%Bush 43, month 46: +16.7%Bush 43, month 48: +19.0%Bush 43Obama, month 1: 0.0%Obama, month 4: -1.7%Obama, month 7: +1.2%Obama, month 10: +1.5%Obama, month 13: +2.8%Obama, month 16: +6.1%Obama, month 19: +5.4%Obama, month 22: +8.0%Obama, month 25: +10.5%Obama, month 28: +13.0%Obama, month 31: +13.8%Obama, month 34: +15.9%Obama, month 37: +17.5%Obama, month 40: +18.9%Obama, month 43: +18.2%Obama, month 46: +20.5%Obama, month 48: +21.6%ObamaTrump I, month 1: 0.0%Trump I, month 4: +0.2%Trump I, month 7: +0.2%Trump I, month 10: +2.5%Trump I, month 13: +3.7%Trump I, month 16: +4.3%Trump I, month 19: +6.3%Trump I, month 22: +7.0%Trump I, month 25: +5.7%Trump I, month 28: +7.6%Trump I, month 31: +9.7%Trump I, month 34: +10.1%Trump I, month 37: +11.0%Trump I, month 40: -13.4%Trump I, month 43: +13.5%Trump I, month 46: +16.2%Trump I, month 48: +16.2%Trump IBiden, month 1: 0.0%Biden, month 4: +8.8%Biden, month 7: +7.6%Biden, month 10: +10.6%Biden, month 13: +13.3%Biden, month 16: +18.2%Biden, month 19: +17.9%Biden, month 22: +19.1%Biden, month 25: +20.5%Biden, month 28: +17.7%Biden, month 31: +18.5%Biden, month 34: +19.3%Biden, month 37: +18.0%Biden, month 40: +18.8%Biden, month 43: +20.4%Biden, month 46: +21.8%Biden, month 48: +23.6%BidenTrump II, month 1: 0.0%Trump II, month 4: +1.2%Trump II, month 7: +1.6%Trump II, month 10: +2.0%Trump II, month 13: +2.2%Trump II, month 16: +5.4%Trump II, month 19: +6.2%Trump II, month 21: +8.4%Trump II
% change since each president's first month in office, months 1–48 of each term. Highlighted: Trump II.

Every administration at month 21

Retail Sales at month 21 in office, 6 administrations ranked on % change since month 1. Average of all 6: +9.3%.
RankAdministrationValue at month 21Change since month 1Latest / end of month 48Primary federal source
#1Joe Biden$661B+18.1%$692B (month 48)Census Bureau · RSAFS
#2Bill Clinton$193B+13.6%$216B (month 48)Census Bureau · RSAFS
#3Donald Trump (second term) · in office$745B+8.4%$745B (month 21)Census Bureau · RSAFS
#4Barack Obama$352B+6.8%$401B (month 48)Census Bureau · RSAFS
#5Donald Trump (first term)$492B+5.9%$539B (month 48)Census Bureau · RSAFS
#6George W. Bush$281B+3.0%$325B (month 48)Census Bureau · RSAFS

Methodology and source verification

Monthly retail and food services sales in billions of dollars (Census Bureau). Ranked on the % change since month 0.

Every administration is aligned to its own inauguration: month 1 is the month it took office, and the comparison runs to month 48 (the first term). Each administration is compared at the same month in office, so a president halfway through a term is never measured against another's full four years.

Primary source: Census Bureau. Retrieved from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED), series RSAFS, refreshed hourly. Latest observation 2026-09-01, first published 2026-10-15. Full methods: methodology.

Retail Sales by president

Retail Sales under Richard NixonRetail Sales under Jimmy CarterRetail Sales under Ronald ReaganRetail Sales under George H. W. BushRetail Sales under Bill ClintonRetail Sales under George W. BushRetail Sales under Barack ObamaRetail Sales under Donald Trump (first term)Retail Sales under Joe BidenRetail Sales under Donald Trump (second term)

Other benchmarks

GDP GrowthReal GDPUnemployment RateLabor Force ParticipationJobs Added per MonthManufacturing JobsInflation (CPI)Core InflationGas PricesReal WagesPurchasing Power of the DollarFederal Funds RateDebt-to-GDPTrade Balance30-Year Mortgage RateHousing StartsJob OpeningsJob Openings per Job SeekerPersonal Saving RateConsumer SentimentS&P 50010-Year Treasury Yield5-Year Treasury YieldYield Curve (10Y–2Y)Federal Budget Balance