Federal Funds Rate under Jimmy Carter
Federal Funds Rate went from 4.6% in Jimmy Carter's first month to 18.9% at month 48: a change of +14.3 pts. At that point in office it ranks #9 of 9 administrations since 1969. Official data from the Federal Reserve.
All administrations at month 48
| Rank | Administration | Value at month 48 | Change since month 1 | Latest / end of month 48 | Primary federal source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Donald Trump (first term) | 0.1% | −0.6 pts | 0.1% (month 48) | Federal Reserve · FEDFUNDS |
| #2 | Barack Obama | 0.2% | +0.0 pts | 0.2% (month 48) | Federal Reserve · FEDFUNDS |
| #3 | George W. Bush | 2.2% | −3.8 pts | 2.2% (month 48) | Federal Reserve · FEDFUNDS |
| #4 | George H. W. Bush | 2.9% | −6.2 pts | 2.9% (month 48) | Federal Reserve · FEDFUNDS |
| #5 | Joe Biden | 4.5% | +4.4 pts | 4.5% (month 48) | Federal Reserve · FEDFUNDS |
| #6 | Bill Clinton | 5.3% | +2.3 pts | 5.3% (month 48) | Federal Reserve · FEDFUNDS |
| #7 | Richard Nixon | 5.3% | −1.0 pts | 5.3% (month 48) | Federal Reserve · FEDFUNDS |
| #8 | Ronald Reagan | 8.4% | −10.7 pts | 8.4% (month 48) | Federal Reserve · FEDFUNDS |
| #9 | Jimmy Carter | 18.9% | +14.3 pts | 18.9% (month 48) | Federal Reserve · FEDFUNDS |
Methodology and source verification
Effective federal funds rate, monthly average (Federal Reserve). Set by the Fed, not the president; shown for context.
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: Federal Reserve. Retrieved from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED), series FEDFUNDS, refreshed hourly. Latest observation 2026-10-01, first published 2026-11-02. Full methods: methodology.