Debt-to-GDP under Joe Biden
Debt-to-GDP went from 123.9% in Joe Biden's first month to 121.0% at month 48: a change of −2.9 pts. At that point in office it ranks #8 of 9 administrations since 1969. Official data from the U.S. Treasury and OMB (via St. Louis Fed).
All administrations at month 48
| Rank | Administration | Value at month 48 | Change since month 1 | Latest / end of month 48 | Primary federal source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Jimmy Carter | 31.2% | −2.5 pts | 31.2% (month 48) | U.S. Treasury and OMB · GFDEGDQ188S |
| #2 | Richard Nixon | 33.8% | −2.5 pts | 33.8% (month 48) | U.S. Treasury and OMB · GFDEGDQ188S |
| #3 | Ronald Reagan | 40.1% | +9.2 pts | 40.1% (month 48) | U.S. Treasury and OMB · GFDEGDQ188S |
| #4 | George W. Bush | 60.6% | +5.5 pts | 60.6% (month 48) | U.S. Treasury and OMB · GFDEGDQ188S |
| #5 | George H. W. Bush | 62.5% | +12.8 pts | 62.5% (month 48) | U.S. Treasury and OMB · GFDEGDQ188S |
| #6 | Bill Clinton | 64.5% | +1.6 pts | 64.5% (month 48) | U.S. Treasury and OMB · GFDEGDQ188S |
| #7 | Barack Obama | 100.1% | +23.0 pts | 100.1% (month 48) | U.S. Treasury and OMB · GFDEGDQ188S |
| #8 | Joe Biden | 121.0% | −2.9 pts | 121.0% (month 48) | U.S. Treasury and OMB · GFDEGDQ188S |
| #9 | Donald Trump (first term) | 125.6% | +22.7 pts | 125.6% (month 48) | U.S. Treasury and OMB · GFDEGDQ188S |
Methodology and source verification
Total public debt as a percent of GDP, quarterly (Treasury and OMB data compiled by the St. Louis Fed). Lower ranks better.
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: U.S. Treasury and OMB (via St. Louis Fed). Retrieved from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED), series GFDEGDQ188S, refreshed hourly. Latest observation 2026-04-01, first published 2026-10-16. Full methods: methodology.