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GDP Growth under George H. W. Bush

GDP Growth went from 4.1% in George H. W. Bush's first month to 4.2% at month 48: a change of +0.1 pts. At that point in office it ranks #4 of 9 administrations since 1969. Official data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).

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Month 1
4.1%
Month 48
4.2%
Change
+0.1 pts
Rank at that point
#4 of 9
−25.7%3.5%32.6%Month 1Month 13Month 25Month 37Month 48Nixon, month 1: 6.4%Nixon, month 4: 1.2%Nixon, month 7: 2.7%Nixon, month 10: −1.9%Nixon, month 13: −0.6%Nixon, month 16: 0.6%Nixon, month 19: 3.7%Nixon, month 22: −4.2%Nixon, month 25: 11.3%Nixon, month 28: 2.2%Nixon, month 31: 3.3%Nixon, month 34: 0.9%Nixon, month 37: 7.6%Nixon, month 40: 9.4%Nixon, month 43: 3.8%Nixon, month 46: 6.9%Nixon, month 48: 6.9%NixonCarter, month 1: 4.8%Carter, month 4: 8.0%Carter, month 7: 7.4%Carter, month 10: 0.0%Carter, month 13: 1.3%Carter, month 16: 16.4%Carter, month 19: 4.1%Carter, month 22: 5.5%Carter, month 25: 0.7%Carter, month 28: 0.4%Carter, month 31: 3.0%Carter, month 34: 1.0%Carter, month 37: 1.3%Carter, month 40: −8.0%Carter, month 43: −0.5%Carter, month 46: 7.7%Carter, month 48: 7.7%CarterReagan, month 1: 8.1%Reagan, month 4: −2.9%Reagan, month 7: 4.9%Reagan, month 10: −4.3%Reagan, month 13: −6.1%Reagan, month 16: 1.8%Reagan, month 19: −1.5%Reagan, month 22: 0.2%Reagan, month 25: 5.4%Reagan, month 28: 9.4%Reagan, month 31: 8.2%Reagan, month 34: 8.6%Reagan, month 37: 8.1%Reagan, month 40: 7.1%Reagan, month 43: 3.9%Reagan, month 46: 3.3%Reagan, month 48: 3.3%ReaganClinton, month 1: 0.7%Clinton, month 4: 2.3%Clinton, month 7: 1.9%Clinton, month 10: 5.6%Clinton, month 13: 3.9%Clinton, month 16: 5.5%Clinton, month 19: 2.4%Clinton, month 22: 4.7%Clinton, month 25: 1.4%Clinton, month 28: 1.2%Clinton, month 31: 3.5%Clinton, month 34: 2.7%Clinton, month 37: 3.0%Clinton, month 40: 6.8%Clinton, month 43: 3.6%Clinton, month 46: 4.2%Clinton, month 48: 4.2%ClintonBush 43, month 1: −1.3%Bush 43, month 4: 2.5%Bush 43, month 7: −1.6%Bush 43, month 10: 1.1%Bush 43, month 13: 3.4%Bush 43, month 16: 2.5%Bush 43, month 19: 1.6%Bush 43, month 22: 0.5%Bush 43, month 25: 2.1%Bush 43, month 28: 3.6%Bush 43, month 31: 6.8%Bush 43, month 34: 4.7%Bush 43, month 37: 2.3%Bush 43, month 40: 3.1%Bush 43, month 43: 3.8%Bush 43, month 46: 4.1%Bush 43, month 48: 4.1%Bush 43Obama, month 1: −4.5%Obama, month 4: −0.7%Obama, month 7: 1.4%Obama, month 10: 4.4%Obama, month 13: 1.9%Obama, month 16: 3.9%Obama, month 19: 3.1%Obama, month 22: 2.1%Obama, month 25: −0.9%Obama, month 28: 2.7%Obama, month 31: −0.1%Obama, month 34: 4.6%Obama, month 37: 3.4%Obama, month 40: 1.8%Obama, month 43: 0.6%Obama, month 46: 0.5%Obama, month 48: 0.5%ObamaTrump I, month 1: 2.0%Trump I, month 4: 2.3%Trump I, month 7: 3.2%Trump I, month 10: 4.6%Trump I, month 13: 3.3%Trump I, month 16: 2.1%Trump I, month 19: 2.5%Trump I, month 22: 0.6%Trump I, month 25: 2.5%Trump I, month 28: 3.4%Trump I, month 31: 4.8%Trump I, month 34: 2.8%Trump I, month 37: −5.2%Trump I, month 40: −28.0%Trump I, month 43: 34.9%Trump I, month 46: 4.6%Trump I, month 48: 4.6%Trump IBiden, month 1: 6.2%Biden, month 4: 7.1%Biden, month 7: 3.2%Biden, month 10: 6.8%Biden, month 13: −1.0%Biden, month 16: 0.6%Biden, month 19: 2.7%Biden, month 22: 2.7%Biden, month 25: 3.4%Biden, month 28: 2.2%Biden, month 31: 4.5%Biden, month 34: 3.6%Biden, month 37: 1.4%Biden, month 40: 3.6%Biden, month 43: 3.2%Biden, month 46: 2.4%Biden, month 48: 2.4%BidenTrump II, month 1: 0.1%Trump II, month 4: 4.0%Trump II, month 7: 3.9%Trump II, month 10: 0.2%Trump II, month 13: 2.5%Trump II, month 16: 2.2%Trump II, month 19: 3.4%Trump II, month 21: 3.4%Trump IIBush 41, month 1: 4.1%Bush 41, month 4: 3.1%Bush 41, month 7: 3.0%Bush 41, month 10: 0.8%Bush 41, month 13: 4.4%Bush 41, month 16: 1.5%Bush 41, month 19: 0.3%Bush 41, month 22: −3.6%Bush 41, month 25: −1.9%Bush 41, month 28: 3.2%Bush 41, month 31: 2.0%Bush 41, month 34: 1.4%Bush 41, month 37: 4.9%Bush 41, month 40: 4.4%Bush 41, month 43: 4.0%Bush 41, month 46: 4.2%Bush 41, month 48: 4.2%Bush 41
GDP Growth, months 1–48 of each term. Highlighted: Bush 41.

All administrations at month 48

GDP Growth at month 48 in office, 9 administrations ranked highest (best) to lowest. Average of all 9: 4.2%.
RankAdministrationValue at month 48Change since month 1Latest / end of month 48Primary federal source
#1Jimmy Carter7.7%+2.9 pts7.7% (month 48)Bureau of Economic Analysis · A191RL1Q225SBEA
#2Richard Nixon6.9%+0.5 pts6.9% (month 48)Bureau of Economic Analysis · A191RL1Q225SBEA
#3Donald Trump (first term)4.6%+2.6 pts4.6% (month 48)Bureau of Economic Analysis · A191RL1Q225SBEA
#4George H. W. Bush4.2%+0.1 pts4.2% (month 48)Bureau of Economic Analysis · A191RL1Q225SBEA
#5Bill Clinton4.2%+3.5 pts4.2% (month 48)Bureau of Economic Analysis · A191RL1Q225SBEA
#6George W. Bush4.1%+5.4 pts4.1% (month 48)Bureau of Economic Analysis · A191RL1Q225SBEA
#7Ronald Reagan3.3%−4.8 pts3.3% (month 48)Bureau of Economic Analysis · A191RL1Q225SBEA
#8Joe Biden2.4%−3.8 pts2.4% (month 48)Bureau of Economic Analysis · A191RL1Q225SBEA
#9Barack Obama0.5%+5.0 pts0.5% (month 48)Bureau of Economic Analysis · A191RL1Q225SBEA

Methodology and source verification

Real GDP growth at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, as published quarterly by the BEA. Each quarter's value is carried across its three months.

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: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Retrieved from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED), series A191RL1Q225SBEA, refreshed hourly. Latest observation 2026-07-01, first published 2026-10-29. Full methods: methodology.

More on George H. W. Bush

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