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Retail Sales under Bill Clinton

Retail Sales went from $170B in Bill Clinton's first month to $216B at month 48: a change of +27.3%. At that point in office it ranks #1 of 5 administrations since 1969. Official data from the Census Bureau.

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Month 1
$170B
Month 48
$216B
Change
+27.3%
Rank at that point
#1 of 5
-11.9%+6.9%+25.8%Month 1Month 13Month 25Month 37Month 48Bush 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 IIClinton, 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%Clinton
% change since each president's first month in office, months 1–48 of each term. Highlighted: Clinton.

All administrations at month 48

Retail Sales at month 48 in office, 5 administrations ranked on % change since month 1. Average of all 5: +21.5%.
RankAdministrationValue at month 48Change since month 1Latest / end of month 48Primary federal source
#1Bill Clinton$216B+27.3%$216B (month 48)Census Bureau · RSAFS
#2Joe Biden$692B+23.6%$692B (month 48)Census Bureau · RSAFS
#3Barack Obama$401B+21.6%$401B (month 48)Census Bureau · RSAFS
#4George W. Bush$325B+19.0%$325B (month 48)Census Bureau · RSAFS
#5Donald Trump (first term)$539B+16.2%$539B (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.

More on Bill Clinton

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

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